On October 19, 2024, Taliban intelligence officers detained Jawed Momand, a Kabul University professor and political analyst.

Momand was arrested outside of his home in Kabul. According to one source, witnesses reported that Taliban officers beat Momand during the arrest and confiscated equipment that Momand uses to record video clips for social media.

Momand is a frequent political commentator on social media and participates in televised debates. Shortly before detention, the Taliban banned him from appearing as a guest on private television stations. Around the time of Momand’s arrest, the Taliban had also detained other public figures, including political analysts, religious scholars, and a former parliamentarian, in an apparent crackdown on free expression.

Scholars at Risk is concerned about arbitrary imprisonment of a scholar for exercising their right to freedom of expression – conduct that is expressly protected by international human rights instruments including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Afghanistan is a party. State authorities have a responsibility to refrain from arbitrary arrests and prosecution of scholars and students for exercising their right to freedom of expression.

Sources:
https://amu.tv/131905/
https://x.com/JahanzebWesa/status/1848487113551139131
https://www.rferl.org/a/afghanistan-taliban-dissent-mohmand-media/33183420.html
https://thermmedia.com/taliban-arrest-university-professor-and-political-analyst-in-kabul