90,000 CCTV cameras across Kabul!
The Taliban are the current rulers of Afghanistan. They have put many CCTV cameras in Kabul, the capital city.
Before 2021, there were only 850 cameras in the city. Now, there are almost 90,000 cameras. The Taliban say these cameras will help stop crime and keep people safe.
The aim is not just crime control.
The Taliban say the cameras are for safety. But many people do not believe them. Some think the Taliban want to watch people all the time and stop protests against them.
Since they came to power in 2021, the Taliban have made many strict rules. Women cannot work in most jobs, and girls cannot go to high school or university.
People’s privacy is at stake!
The Taliban police chief said the cameras can see people from very far away. They can also recognize faces and tell a person’s age, gender, and if they have a beard or mask on.
In Afghanistan, women must cover their faces in public. Some women are afraid the cameras will check if they are wearing a hijab or not.
Protesters and human rights activists also feel unsafe because of this system.
Surveillance is not unique to Afghanistan.
Many governments around the world use such cameras to stop crime and protect people. But if leaders use cameras in the wrong way, people can feel unsafe.
Are the Taliban’s priorities misplaced?
Some people in Kabul say they had to pay for the cameras. If they did not pay, they were threatened with no water or electricity.
At the same time, Afghanistan’s economy is very bad. Nearly 85% of people have less than one dollar a day. Since 2020, the country’s money problems have become worse, and good jobs are hard to find.
Most countries do not support the Taliban government. Because of this, Afghanistan gets less help from other countries. This makes life hard for the 30 million people who live here.
The Taliban police chief said only a few hundred people gave money voluntarily.
Whatever be the case, governments should use money and technology to help people, not control them.
