Taliban Suspend Licences of Nine Afghan Private Universities as Rights Groups Warn of Growing Restrictions

Taliban Suspend Licences of Nine Afghan Private Universities as Rights Groups Warn of Growing Restrictions
———————————
Afghanistan’s Taliban-controlled Ministry of Higher Education has suspended or revoked the licences of nine private higher-education institutions over alleged academic and administrative violations, while Amnesty International has called for the immediate release of six civil society activists detained in Kabul.

More details in the following report:

The Taliban Ministry of Higher Education announced that seven private universities would have their operating licences suspended for one year and two others would lose their licences permanently following inspections conducted during the spring semester of the 1405 solar year.

The suspended institutions include Barlas University in Jawzjan, Rah-e Saadat and Turkistan universities in Balkh, Azhar and Barna universities in Badakhshan, Rashad University in Faryab and Payam University in Kabul. Kohanduz University in Kunduz and Khana-e Danish University in Takhar had their licences revoked permanently.

The ministry said inspections found alleged cases of “ghost students,” poor attendance records, violations of admission rules, inadequate academic structures, insufficient laboratory facilities and failures to provide required practical training for medical students.

The decision comes as Afghanistan’s higher-education sector faces continued challenges following Taliban restrictions on women’s and girls’ education. UNESCO has warned that the exclusion of women from universities has severely affected private institutions, contributing to financial difficulties and declining enrolment.

Meanwhile, Amnesty International has called for the immediate and unconditional release of six staff members of the Women and Children Research and Advocacy Network who were reportedly detained by Taliban forces after a raid on their office in Kabul.

The rights organisation described the arrests as part of a broader crackdown on civil society and critical voices in Afghanistan. According to local media reports, Taliban forces seized equipment during the raid and have not provided information about the detainees’ current situation.

The latest actions have increased concerns over the future of education and civil society freedoms in Afghanistan amid ongoing international calls for greater protection of fundamental rights.