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News Articles: Matiullah Wesa

Matiullah Wesa, a girls' education advocate, reads to students in Spin Boldak district in Kandahar province of Afghanistan on May 21, 2022. The Taliban have freed the Afghan activist who campaigned for the education of girls, a local nonprofit organization said Thursday. Wesa was arrested seven months ago and spent 215 days in prison, according to the group, Pen Path.

Afghan girls' education advocate is freed from Taliban prison

Matiullah Wesa was arrested and spent 215 days in prison. He has been outspoken in his demands for girls to have the right to go to school. The Taliban bar girls from school beyond the sixth grade.

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By:
  • The Associated Press
Matiullah Wesa, cofounder of the education charity PenPath in Afghanistan, speaks to children during a class next to his mobile library in a district of Kandahar Province. Wesa and his brother were among the Afghan men who have called for the Taliban to reverse its bans on higher education for girls. He was arrested in March and has been held in prison since then with no formal charges.

Angelina Jolie urges support for jailed Afghan man who championed higher ed for girls

It's been 5 months since Matiullah Wesa, an activist who urged an end to Taliban bans on girls' education, was arrested. Media attention has faded. Now Angelina Jolie is making a plea in his behalf.

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By:
  • Ruchi Kumar