Brave Woman Detained for Training Girls in Sport
A 22-year-old Afghan woman, Khadija Ahmadzada, has been arrested by Taliban morality forces for secretly training girls in taekwondo in her home courtyard. The shocking detention happened on January 10, 2026, when Taliban officers raided her house in western Afghanistan and dragged both Khadija and her father away. They have now been held for over a week, with no word on their whereabouts or legal status.
Dire Warnings From Activists
British-Afghan activist Shabnam Nasimi has raised alarms over fears Khadija could face stoning – an extreme and brutal form of execution. Speaking on Instagram, Nasimi revealed rumours a Taliban judge is deciding the case behind closed doors, making the situation all the more dangerous. “There are rumours the court has ruled on an extreme death sentence – stoning – for the crime of practising and playing sport,” she said.
“For anyone who doesn’t know what stoning is, it’s when stones are thrown at a living human being until they bleed, collapse and die.”
UN Special Rapporteur Richard Bennett has also called on the Taliban to guarantee Khadija’s safety and to release her immediately.
Taliban Crackdown on Women’s Rights Intensifies
Since seizing power in 2021, the Taliban have banned women and girls from all sports activities – including training, competing and coaching – labelling them “un-Islamic.” Female gyms and sports centres have been shut down, and public exercise has been banned for women. The regime also prohibits girls from attending secondary schools and universities, enforces strict dress codes, bans mixed-gender recreation, and restricts women to their homes under threat of severe punishment.
Activists Demand Justice
Women’s rights campaigners and Afghan sports figures have protested Khadija’s arrest, calling it a brutal attack on freedom and dignity. Ms Nasimi added, “If Khadija becomes famous enough, they may back off. They may release her with a warning because it becomes harder to pretend she never existed.”
