Law students and lawyers in Afghanistan are filing reports with JURIST on the situation there after the fall of Kabul to the Taliban. Here, a female law student in northeast Afghanistan offers her observations and perspective about the position of women and female members of Afghanistan’s legal community under the Taliban. For privacy and security reasons we are withholding her name and institutional affiliation. The text has been only lightly edited to respect the author’s voice.

Although people across the globe are aware about the ongoing situation in Afghanistan, my heart doesn’t let me be silent about what I am observing and watching.

For a long time the rebellious militants called the Taliban have been in war against democracy, humanity and freedom. But their extremism and awfulness got wider when foreign countries came to build this land and enlighten the poor and illiterate people. The insurgency of this extremist group increased day by day and they prevented girls from going to school and get educated.

In reality they have no respect for women, especially those who are enthusiastically eager to be educated and work for their rights.

As soon as the Taliban took some districts of our province Badakhshan, fear and disappointment came to the people, especially the women which they are working for human rights, freedom and democracy.

When militants came to the city and removed the local government they wildly demolished and destroyed the enormous industrial, economic and manufacturing buildings as well as many others.

Right now, at the time when I am writing about this tragic situation, women in Faizabad city have no right to go outside alone. We have to wear veil and burqa. People witnessed the hit of a woman by Taliban for having no veil, another painful matter was slapping of a young girl in front of the people, she had not committed any wrong but her dresses were not in their favor.

All of our educational, industrial and economical systems are just ruined and collapsed, no serviceability is offering for the people and poverty is surging over the country. Many families have left their homes and are living in shelters in Kabul, the capital of the country. Just a few days ago the administration fell into their hands. Now for revenge they are searching for the people who have worked and cooperated with foreigners, for who have worked for civil society, and who worked with law and judicial system. I am one of them.

All these destruction has an effect on legal system. Judges and lawyers fled when the local government fell. Women lawyers can’t be active in public anymore, they have lost their chance to continue their jobs. All criminals and prisoners are released from jail. And there aren’t any more cases for lawyers. The lives of judges and lawyers are in danger and under threat.

Everything in courts is plundered and there isn’t any way to do their work. We are literally worried about our lives and our futures. We defenseless women urge the USA and other countries to provide us visas so that we survive and get relieved of this critical situation.