Three Afghan Chess Olympiad Players Detained on Return, Face Possible Taliban Punishment
Three of four Afghan players who competed in the Samarkand Chess Olympiad were seized at the border and placed under house arrest in Kabul, risking severe Taliban penalties.
Four Afghan chess players travelled legally to the Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, but three of them—comedian Khaibar Farazi, women’s team captain Habibullah Guldoost and Absolute Team member Habibullah Amini—were intercepted at the Hairatan border on Monday. Authorities confiscated their passports, separated them, and later placed them under house arrest in Kabul, where they face possible corporal punishment under Taliban rule.
The remaining delegate, Mirzaad Sayed Wahabuddin, crossed the border without trouble. FIDE has announced diplomatic support, while the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats seeks to raise the case in the European Parliament. Afghan federation delegate Adzhmal Mangal asked for the story to be delayed, whereas team captain Zaheer Asefi warned that the Taliban may view the mixed-gender, international competition as a serious violation.
Why it matters
The case underscores the Taliban's harsh restrictions on cultural activities and draws international attention to human-rights concerns in Afghanistan.
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