Corona and Democracy - Afghanistan

Information on COVID-19 measures and democracy

• Afghanistan has a total of 1,213 confirmed cases of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) and 42 deaths attributed to the disease (Ministry of Public Health). Kabul (421 confirmed cases and 14 deaths), Herat (358 confirmed cases and 7 deaths), and Kandahar (125 confirmed cases and 1 death) have the most cases.
• The government confirms some cases are from “community spread” and not connected to travel to Iran and other countries.
• Kabul city, Herat, Farah, Jalalabad (Nangarhar), Asadabad (Kunar), and Zaranj (Nimroz) are on lockdown.
• In addition to the Central Public Health Lab and Veterinary labs in Kabul, labs in Herat, Jalalabad, Kandahar and Mazar-e-Sharif are testing for COVID-19.
• A lab in Paktya and a second lab in Herat (Veterinary lab) are expected to begin testing in the coming days.
• A new 100-bed COVID-19 hospital is now open in Herat.
• The Darulaman Palace (300 beds) and Kabul and PolyTechnic universities’ dormitories have been converted into isolation facilities in Kabul city.
• Large numbers of travelers have been reported returning from Iran to Afghanistan through Herat province. Iran is experiencing sustained community spread of COVID-19, and is subject to U.S. travel restrictions.

   17 April:

• Authorities announced the extension of the lockdown in Kabul (started 28 March) until 9 May.

   2 May:

• Afghan government extended the lockdown until 24 May across the country.

   10 May:

• Authorities announced ease of lockdown in Mazar-e-Sharif (under partial lockdown since 4 April).

21 May:

• The Afghan government has approved an exit-plan to lift the Coronvairus lockdown in the capital Kabul

22 May:

• Lockdown rules were eased in regard to the Eid al-Fitr holiday (end of Ramadan), allowing people to attend prayers but only under safety guidelines (social distancing, masks and bringing own prayer mats)

24 June:

• Afghanistan resumes international flights

• US embassy Afghanistan - COVID-19 Information
• https://www.dtnext.in/News/World/2020/04/17132129/1225555/Kabul-lockdown-extended-for-3-more-weeks.vpf
• https://www.aa.com.tr/en/asia-pacific/afghanistan-extends-lockdown-amid-upward-covid-19-trend/1826975
• https://ariananews.af/balkh-conditionally-lifts-movement-restrictions-amid-covid19-outbreak/
• https://ariananews.af/government-approves-lockdown-gradual-exit-plan-kabul/
• https://www.aa.com.tr/en/asia-pacific/wary-afghanistan-eases-virus-lockdown-for-holiday/1850609
• https://ariananews.af/afghanistan-resumes-intl-flights-after-three-months-of-coronavirus-halt/

• There were no elections planned at this time

• When a first positive case was confirmed, the people of Herat city wanted the central government to send them more equipment. Because the first case was confirmed in Herat and it is close to the border to Iran, where the Coronavirus was widespread early on. Moreover, some Afghan citizens who lived in Iran, had to return home through Herat. Civil society raised their voice because of government's lack of determination to help this city.

• Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has ordered the release of up to 10,000 prison inmates in a bid to slow the spread of coronavirus. Ghani’s decree was directed at women, young offenders, critically ill patients, and prisoners aged more than 55, Attorney General Farid Hamidi told a Kabul news conference on March 26. Calling the move a “responsible decision to safeguard the health of the people,” Hamidi said the decree “is not for those who have committed crimes against national and international security."The announcement comes as Afghanistan's government is negotiating a prisoner exchange with Taliban as a confidence-building measure ahead of proposed peace talks under a U.S.-brokered process.

• Reports that the Taliban are using the pandemic as a tool for propaganda.

• Afghanistan braces for coronavirus surge as migrants pour back from Iran
• Afghanistan to release up to 10,000 prisoners to slow coronavirus spread
• https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/05/06/taliban-afghanistan-coronavirus-pandemic/

•  https://www.usip.org/programs/rule-law-afghanistan-0

• At the moment, it seems that Afghanistan is under the control of the government's management to fight covid-19, but the citizens are afraid of poverty because around 50% of Afghans live under the line of poverty

• Photographing poverty's pandemic: 'Afghans have learned to live with fear'
• Rule of Law in Afghanistan