Two Taliban education officials were barred from traveling by the United Nations on Monday, according to Agence France Presse, in reaction to the Taliban’s stringent restrictions on Afghan women.
Said Ahmad Shaidkhail, the acting deputy Minister of Education, and Abdul Baqi Basir Awal Shah, also known as Abdul Baqi Haqqani, the acting Minister of Higher Education, are among the officials now barred from traveling as the UN revoked travel privileges from them, according to a diplomat who wished to remain anonymous.
The travel exemptions that allowed 15 Taliban officials to travel abroad for talks were scheduled to expire on Monday, 20th June.
The travel privileges were renewed for at least two months for thirteen officials, but they were revoked for two education officials because the Taliban restricts girls’ and women’s access to education.
Heather Barr, the Co-director of the Women’s Right Division at Human Rights, has written on her twitter handle, today, that the revocation of the travel exemptions for the Taliban officials is “better than nothing.”
However, she also notes wrote that the measure is “nowhere near the display of solidarity Afghans deserve.”
According to diplomats, some countries supported withdrawing all travel exemptions owing to the deteriorating situation of women’s rights, while others objected.
“Unless objected by any Council member,” the travel exemption for the 13 Taliban officials will be extended for the third month automatically.
