In a deeply alarming development, Taliban forces have detained the 12-year-old son of prominent religious scholar and outspoken Taliban critic Maulvi Abdul Qadir Qanit during a raid on the family’s home in Kabul, according to sources close to the family.
Qanit himself was arrested two days prior from the same residence. His detention was captured in video footage obtained by Afghanistan International, showing plainclothes Taliban intelligence officers arriving in an unmarked civilian vehicle, entering the alley near Qanit’s home, and forcibly removing him in full view of neighbours.
On Thursday morning, Taliban fighters reportedly stormed the house again. According to the sources, after Qanit’s eldest son managed to flee the scene, Taliban personnel detained the younger child in his place. Family members were allegedly subjected to verbal abuse and humiliation during the search operation.
The Taliban have not publicly disclosed any reason for the child’s detention, prompting widespread condemnation and concern from human rights observers and Afghan civil society activists.
Maulvi Qanit is known for his unwavering criticism of Taliban rule. One of the few clerics to consistently challenge the group’s governance and policies, he has spoken openly about what he views as their misuse of religious authority and suppression of dissent. His previous detention had already drawn the attention of rights advocates and religious scholars across the region.
Observers say this latest move by the Taliban reflects a troubling pattern of retaliatory measures against critics and their families, aiming to silence dissent through intimidation and collective punishment, a tactic widely condemned under international human rights norms.
The detention of a minor in such circumstances further intensifies scrutiny of the Taliban’s methods and is likely to fuel growing international concern about the state of civil liberties and judicial process in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.
