Taliban Releases Imprisoned Afghan Education Activist

Matiullah Wesa, an Afghan activist who campaigned for girls' education, has been released by the Taliban after spending 215 days in prison. Wesa, who had been advocating for the right of girls to go to school, was arrested seven months ago. Since their takeover, the Taliban have imposed restrictions on female education, barring girls from school beyond the sixth grade and banning women from universities. Wesa's release was welcomed by the UN special rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan, who called for the immediate release of all arbitrarily detained human rights defenders. Amnesty International also criticized Wesa's imprisonment and called for the release of other activists.