De facto administration spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid has publicly confirmed findings released by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) documenting hundreds of arbitrary detentions, while simultaneously dismissing the international body as a “biased” entity.
UNAMA’s recent quarterly monitoring report detailed 443 recorded cases of arbitrary detention and property seizure, alongside 97 documented incidents of mistreatment and corporal enforcement carried out by de facto security and morality units over the preceding three months.
Rather than denying the enforcement actions, Mujahid defended the detentions during official statements, asserting that they were executed “in accordance with applicable laws and regulations” and aimed specifically at “preventing immoral acts and reforming individuals.”
Furthermore, the de facto spokesperson criticized UNAMA for overlooking the administration’s self-reported achievements. Mujahid maintained that international reports should incorporate governance milestones, including economic assistance initiatives, the management and reintegration of returning refugees and migrants, the containment of domestic security threats, and broader political developments.
Human rights organizations and UN monitors have consistently condemned the sweeping powers wielded by morality enforcers and security branches, warning that arbitrary arrests, public harassment, and the suppression of personal freedoms violate fundamental international human rights standards and exacerbate an already severe humanitarian climate.