The Taliban have arrested a 22-year-old female taekwondo coach, Khadija Ahmadzada, in Afghanistan’s western city of Herat for secretly training girls, according to local media reports.
Taliban intelligence and morality police detained Khadija during a raid on January 13. They later transferred her to the provincial prison in Herat. The arrest reflects the continued tightening of restrictions on women’s lives under Taliban rule.
Sources say Khadija trained a small group of girls inside the parking area of a residential building. She chose the location to avoid detection and bypass the ban on women’s sports. When Taliban forces carried out the raid, her students managed to escape. Khadija, however, was arrested along with her father and the owner of the building. All three were moved to Herat’s central jail.
Authorities have not publicly disclosed the charges against her. Shortly after her detention, Khadija’s social media accounts were also shut down. This has raised concerns about increased surveillance and pressure on women who attempt to stay active in public or community life.
Local sources describe the training sessions as a quiet form of resistance against growing restrictions on women since 2021.
Crackdown on Women’s Rights Intensifies
Since returning to power, the Taliban have imposed sweeping limits on women and girls across Afghanistan. They have banned them from secondary and higher education. They have restricted access to most jobs. They have also prohibited women from participating in sports.
Reports indicate that more than 150 decrees now regulate women’s movement, work, education and expression. Taliban morality police regularly detain women for alleged violations of dress codes, including rules on hijab and face coverings.
Female journalists, activists and media workers have also faced arrests and intimidation. Some have reported mistreatment while in custody.
The arrest of Khadija Ahmadzada shows how even small efforts to support girls’ physical and mental well-being carry serious risks. For many Afghan women, underground classes remain symbols of quiet defiance. Yet the space for such resistance continues to shrink, with harsher consequences each month.
