Renowned Bangladeshi author and exiled writer Taslima Nasreen has fiercely criticised Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi for barring women journalists from his press conference in New Delhi, labelling the Taliban’s stance as one that denies women basic humanity. The event, held at the Afghan Embassy on Friday following bilateral talks with Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, drew widespread condemnation for its overt gender discrimination, highlighting ongoing tensions in India-Afghanistan relations amid the Taliban’s restrictive policies.

Nasreen, who fled Bangladesh in 1994 due to threats over her advocacy for women’s rights and secularism, took to X to denounce the incident. “In Islam as practiced by the Taliban, women are expected only to stay at home, bear children, and serve their husbands and children,” she wrote. She accused the regime of misogyny, stating, “These misogynistic men do not want to see women anywhere outside the home—not in schools, not in workplaces. They refuse to grant women human rights because they do not consider women to be human.”

Nasreen urged male journalists present to have walked out in protest, calling any state built on such “vile misogyny” barbaric and unworthy of recognition by civilised nations. Her remarks underscore her long-standing activism against religious fundamentalism, including fatwas issued against her in the 1990s for her novel Lajja, which critiqued communal violence.

The controversy erupted when security personnel at the embassy prevented female reporters from entering, despite Indian officials suggesting their inclusion, according to reports. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) clarified on Saturday that it had “no role to play” in organising the Afghan-side media interaction, emphasising that no joint briefing occurred after Jaishankar-Muttaqi discussions on trade, humanitarian aid, and security. Muttaqi addressed regional issues, including India-Afghanistan ties and assurances on counter-terrorism, but sidestepped direct questions on women’s rights, citing national customs. Opposition leaders amplified the backlash: Congress veteran P. Chidambaram expressed shock, suggesting male journalists boycott in solidarity, while Rahul Gandhi accused the government of weakness for allowing the exclusion on Indian soil.

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This incident occurs against the backdrop of the Taliban’s “2.0” regime, which seized power in August 2021 and has since imposed what the United Nations describes as the world’s most severe women’s rights crisis. UN Women reports that over 3,300 Taliban enforcers now police restrictions under the August 2024 “morality law”, banning women from public speech, secondary education, most employment, and unaccompanied movement. A May 2025 UNAMA update documented intensified media curbs, public floggings, and threats against female UN staff, while Human Rights Watch noted arbitrary detentions and torture of critics. These policies have erased women from public life, exacerbating Afghanistan’s humanitarian emergency, where 23 million need aid and refugee returns from Pakistan and Iran strain resources further.

Muttaqi’s visit, the first high-level Taliban delegation to India since 2021, signals cautious diplomatic thawing, with India upgrading its Kabul mission to a full embassy and announcing development projects. Yet, the press conference exclusion has reignited global scrutiny, with UN experts warning of deepening repression and calling for sustained pressure to uphold international human rights norms. As Afghan women continue covert resistance through underground networks and advocacy, voices like Nasreen’s remind the international community that normalising such discrimination risks entrenching gender apartheid.

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