A group of journalists, activists, academics, and concerned individuals has launched a petition to draw attention to what they say is “the misuse of the Twitter” platform by the Taliban and its affiliates, including the Haqqani Network.
Signatories to the petition called on Twitter to take “immediate action” and ban members of the Taliban and Haqqani network from using the platform.
The petition highlights the recent UN report that revealed the Taliban’s “symbiotic” relations with global terror networks like al-Qaeda and various regional terror groups. It emphasizes the importance of “curbing the dissemination of violent ideologies, recruitment efforts, and incitement of hate speech and terrorism through Twitter.”
The petition refers to a particular incident that involves Saeed Khosty, a former spokesperson of the Taliban’s interior minister Sirajuddin Haqqani and claims that he issued “death threats” to Taliban opponents via the Twitter platform.
The petition emphasizes that prioritizing the well-being and security of individuals is crucial.
The signatures have said in the petition that they “eagerly await” a positive response from Twitter.
Taliban members have often praised Twitter for providing a platform for “freedom of speech.”
A key member of the Taliban, Anas Haqqani, in a tweet on July 10 said that “Twitter has two important advantages over other social media platforms,” adding that “the first privilege is the freedom of speech and the second is the public nature and credibility of Twitter.”
