A young woman in Afghanistan who secretly trained girls in taekwondo may be facing a death sentence for her courageous act. Khadija Ahmadzada, 22, was arrested on January 10 in Herat after authorities discovered she had been teaching the martial art in a hidden courtyard at her home, defying the Taliban’s strict ban on women participating in sports.
Her detention has sparked fears among activists that she may have already been sentenced to death. Campaigners are urgently working to raise awareness of her case, hoping that international pressure can prevent a tragic outcome.
British-Afghan activist Shabnam Nasimi took to Instagram to highlight Khadija’s bravery. “She refused to accept that being female is a crime. That quiet act of defiance has come at a price,” she wrote. Nasimi explained that witnesses reported the Taliban’s morality police raided Khadija’s home, detaining her and her father. Rumors suggest the court may have imposed an extreme sentence of stoning for the crime of practicing and teaching sport.
Nasimi warned: “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.” She added that Khadija’s family has not heard from her in over a week, intensifying concerns about her safety.
The activist urged the international community to amplify Khadija’s story. “When the international spotlight lands on a regime like this, they hesitate. Not because they grow a conscience, but because they fear consequences, pressure, exposure, and intervention. If Khadija becomes famous enough, they may back off,” Nasimi said.
Since the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan in 2021, Afghan women and girls have faced severe restrictions. Girls have been barred from attending school, women are forced to cover themselves entirely in public, and interaction with men who are not relatives is strictly prohibited. Even singing, speaking freely with other women, or being seen from neighboring properties has been banned as part of the Taliban’s so-called “vice prevention strategy.”
Khadija’s story highlights the risks women face when standing up for education, sport, and personal freedom under a repressive regime. Activists are calling on the world to pay attention and intervene before it’s too late.
