have faced reprisals since the Taliban took over the capital.129 “Since the fall of the republic, a countless number of journalists have been threatened and harassed, and in some cases beaten, including four cases in Balkh and 14 cases in Kabul,” he said.130 In Kabul, Balkh and Herat, Abdul said that the Taliban had warned journalists before arresting or beating them, corroborating other reports to this effect. After Abdul left Kabul, the Taliban had come to his home looking for him twice, but when they realized he was not there, they did not return. Journalists were arrested, beaten, and then released by the Taliban, particularly when covering protests. In videos shared on social media, a witness described the manner in which protestors and journalists were arrested by the Taliban.131 Other journalists were shoved to the ground, beaten with the butts of rifles, and kicked while covering a demonstration.132 Ziar Khan Yaad, a journalist working for TOLOnews, was beaten by the Taliban on 26 August, while covering a news story.133 On 5 September, 14 journalists covering the protests were arrested, beaten, and injured according to human rights defenders in country.134 One had remained in custody while others were released. On 7 September, a cameraman of TOLO news was also arrested and detained for several hours by the Taliban in Kabul.135 His camera and the footage of protests that he had been covering were eventually returned to him.136 At a protest in Herat on 7 September, videos show protestors running as reports emerge that two people were killed, and eight others injured when the Taliban opened fire on protestors.137 On 8 September, five journalists working for Etilaatroz in Kabul were arrested by the Taliban while covering protests in the city.138 They were beaten to the extent that when released four hours later, at least two of them were hospitalized for treatment, with visible blood and bruising on their faces. 139 One of the journalists remained in custody as of 8 September.140 Videos show one of the journalists appearing to walk with great difficulty, after being released by the Taliban.141 Images of the torsos of the journalists Nemat Naqdi and Taqi Daryabi appear to show bruising on their upper body, legs and thighs, stomach, and back, with whip-like marks, indicating that they may have been beaten while in detention.142 The following image shows the injuries, and may be distressing to some people. 129 Abdul. Interview responses sent via email. 8 September 2021. Amnesty International. 130 Abdul. Interview responses sent via email. 8 September 2021. Amnesty International. 131 Tweet. Zahra Rahimi. @ZahraSRahimi. 8 September 2021. 5:20 PM. https://twitter.com/ZahraSRahimi/status/1435571259769819141. Committee to Protect Journalists. 19 August 2021. “Taliban take 2 female state TV anchors off-air in Afghanistan, beat at least 2 journalists”. https://cpj.org/2021/08/taliban-take-2-female-state-tv-anchors-off-air-in-afghanistan-beat-at-least-2-journalists/. 132 ABP News Bureau. 27 August 2021. “Ziar Yaad narrates how Talibani beat him up while reporting from Afghanistan”. https://news.abplive.com/videos/news/india-ziar-yaad-narrates-how-talibani-beat-him-up-while-reporting-from-afghanistan-1478670. Hindustan Times. 26 August 2021. “Tolo News reporter beaten up by Taliban is alive”. https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/tolo-news-reporter-beaten-up-bytaliban-is-alive-101629958120687.html. Al Jazeera. 26 August 2021. “Attack on Afghan reporter tests Taliban’s media freedom pledge”. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/8/26/attack-on-afghan-reporter-tests-talibans-pledge-on-media-freedom. 133 134 Information obtained in writing from human rights defenders based in Afghanistan. Private communication. 8 September 2021. Tweet. Ziar Khan Yaad. @ziaryaad. 7 September 2021. https://twitter.com/ziaryaad/status/1435194497735041026. Tweet. TOLOnews. @TOLOnews. 7 September 2021. https://twitter.com/TOLOnews/status/1435168898169593864. 135 Tweet. Ziar Khan Yaad. @ziaryaad. 7 September 2021. https://twitter.com/ziaryaad/status/1435194497735041026. Tweet. TOLOnews. @TOLOnews. 7 September 2021. https://twitter.com/TOLOnews/status/1435168898169593864. 136 Tweet. Aamaj News. @AamajN. 7 September 2021. 9:33 PM. https://twitter.com/AamajN/status/1435272640730648578. Hindustan Times. 8 September 2021. “Taliban disperse protesters in Kabul; two killed in Herat”. https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/taliban-disperse-protesters-inkabul-two-killed-in-herat-101631050885067.html. NDTV. 7 September 2021. “Two Dead In Anti-Taliban Protest In Afghanistan: Report”. https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/two-dead-in-anti-taliban-protest-in-afghanistans-herat-report-2533231. 137 Hindustan Times. 8 September 2021. “Taliban arrests five journalists working with Kabul daily: Report”. https://www.hindustantimes.com/worldnews/taliban-arrests-five-journalists-working-with-kabul-daily-101631092871502.html. 138 139 BBC. 9 September 2021. “Afghanistan: Journalists tell of beatings by Taliban”. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-58500579. Tweet. Zahra Rahimi. @ZahraSRahimi. 8 September 2021. 5:21 PM. https://twitter.com/ZahraSRahimi/status/1435572514802044929. Reuters. 9 September 2021. “Afghan journalists beaten in Taliban detention, editor says”. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/afghan-journalists-beatentaliban-detention-editor-says-2021-09-09/. 140 141 Tweet. Zahra Rahimi. @ZahraSRahimi. 8 September 2021. 3:59 PM. https://twitter.com/ZahraSRahimi/status/1435550974953799680. Tweet. Marcus Yam 文火. @yamphoto. 9 September 2021. 4:25 AM. https://twitter.com/yamphoto/status/1435738713452158979. Los Angeles Times. 8 September 2021. “Taliban beats protesters and arrests journalists at women’s rally in Kabul”. https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/202109-08/women-protest-against-taliban-responds-with-force. 142 THE FATE OF THOUSANDS HANGING IN THE BALANCE: AFGHANISTAN’S FALL INTO THE HANDS OF THE TALIBAN Amnesty International 17