Pictures of the Year International

KABUL | KABUL | AFGHANISTAN | 2024-02-18 | Halima tattoos the face of a woman onto the arm of 17 year old Mustafa, in the living room of her house. After the decree that shut down women’s beauty salons, many women started working from home. The 28-year-old widow and mother of three, was born in Iran, after her family flew the first Taliban’s regime. She returned to Afghanistan with her family in 2005 during Karzai's presidency. The Taliban takeover came at a shock to her, which shattered her sense of security: "I didn’t think that it could happen, that the Taliban could take over, especially with my husband worked for a ministry." She was recently arrested for her friend’s improper hijab wearing, and detained after the taliban found proofs of her activism in her phone. “I was beaten and punched, slapped repeatedly. My face was red and swollen. Three elders came to be character witnesses and signed a paper in exchange for my release, saying I won’t do it again, and I had to pay 50,000 Afghanis.” (650 euros). Upon learning of her wife’s arrest, her husband had a heart attack, and passed away shortly after she was released, later that day. Despite all of this, Halima continues her activism. "Many of my friends and sisters cannot get an education, that’s my reason to continue," she states defiantly.