The politics of detention is isolating Afghanistan

The Taliban administration in Afghanistan released US national Dennis Coyle on March 23 after he had been held captive for more than a year. This occurred just two weeks after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio designated Afghanistan as a state sponsor of wrongful detention. The designation is considered another serious blow to the ruling administration, with consequences for the country and its citizens at large.

With each new negative classification of Afghanistan — whether through visa bans, travel restrictions or other blacklisting — the major share of the burden is borne by ordinary Afghans, restricting their mobility and affecting their overall social standing and national reputation in the global community. Last September, an elderly British couple who had successfully operated a charity in Afghanistan for nearly two decades were freed after about seven months of incarceration.

Coyle, a linguistic researcher who spent nearly 17 years in Afghanistan, could have been treated more hospitably, in consistence with Islamic and Afghan traditions. Desperate for his freedom, his family had sent a letter to the Taliban’s supreme leader, appealing for Coyle’s release on the occasion of Eid Al‑Fitr. The decision to release him was both politically and religiously right, as well as timely.

The US government responded positively and called for the release of other American citizens believed to be held in Taliban custody. Among them is Afghan American Mahmood Habibi, who is believed to have been detained by the Taliban since early 2022, although the administration has consistently denied having any knowledge of his whereabouts. 

Although foreign tourist visits to the country have steadily increased since the Taliban took power, serious concerns remain.

Dr. Ajmal Shams

I first met Habibi in 2014, when he was serving as head of the Afghan Civil Aviation Authority under the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation. Former President Ashraf Ghani had assigned me to a commission tasked with conducting a thorough review of the ministry, focusing on irregularities, lack of transparency, inefficiencies in services and unclear functions and responsibilities. The assessment lasted about a month and involved a series of meetings, consultations and reviews of relevant documentation, procedures and legal frameworks.

While the ministry as a whole was facing numerous administrative and functional challenges, Habibi’s Civil Aviation Authority stood out as the only department that demonstrated clarity, progress and effective management. I was impressed by his managerial abilities and his commitment to contributing to his country, while maintaining a high level of professionalism in an environment often burdened by outdated and unnecessary practices. It is deeply unfortunate that someone who could serve as a valuable asset to Afghanistan’s civil aviation sector is now reportedly suffering in detention, incommunicado.

Although foreign tourist visits to the country have steadily increased since the Taliban took power in August 2021 — partly because there is no longer active conflict — serious concerns remain. According to the Global Peace Index 2025, Afghanistan is the sixth most dangerous country in the world. These statistics, together with cases involving the detention of foreigners without any real charges, create the conditions in which Western countries — especially the US and the UK — regularly issue travel advisories warning their citizens about the risks of visiting the country, including the possibility of arrest or harm.

If the Taliban are interested in gaining international credibility, they must demonstrate this through their actions rather than rhetoric by ensuring that foreign travelers can visit the country safely, peacefully and with respect. 

It is evident that many of these arrests are driven more by political considerations than by genuine security concerns.

Dr. Ajmal Shams

It is evident that many of these arrests are driven more by political considerations than by genuine security concerns. Opening the country to the rest of the world through modern norms of civic engagement, in pursuit of Afghanistan’s national interests, should be central to the agenda of any administration that is in power. Taking innocent civilians hostage to gain political or strategic leverage is prohibited by Islamic jurisprudence.

The conflict in Afghanistan, which began with the Soviet‑backed communist regime in 1978 and was followed by the start of the Soviet occupation in 1979, has now persisted for almost five decades. Throughout this long period of destruction, political instability and mass displacement, the national economy has remained largely dependent on foreign aid, with a substantial share provided by the US, Western Europe and Japan.

Even after the collapse of the former republic, humanitarian assistance has continued, helping to stabilize the value of the Afghan currency while creating a limited trickle‑down effect in the local economy. Facilitating Afghanistan as a hospitable and open environment is therefore not only a moral and ethical obligation, but also an economic necessity.

• Dr. Ajmal Shams is Vice President of the Afghanistan Social Democratic Party. He served as a Deputy Minister in the former Government of Afghanistan.

X: @ajmshams