Kabul, the Taliban install 2,000 CCTV cameras
The authorities say they will serve to reduce crime, but for the citizens it is an invasion of privacy and another attempt to control the population. The costs are to be covered by individual households. The previous government had already approved a project to guarantee security.
Kabul (AsiaNews/Agencies) - The Taliban have installed 2,000 CCTV cameras in a district of the capital, asking local families to pay the costs. According to the Kabul Security Command they will serve to improve the security of the city, which has a population of about six million, but for the citizens it is an expensive cost and a violation of their rights and privacy.
"The installation of cameras is voluntary and not mandatory for every citizen," said Khaled Zadran, spokesman for the local police. The Taliban official added that citizens should install them to prove their willingness to cooperate with the Islamic Emirate authorities, but households without financial resources are not required to join the project.
Experts believe that the measure is unlikely to be successful in a country like Afghanistan, which is often hit by terrorist attacks. If the interest were really to improve security, priority should be given to installing cameras in government offices, not on individual homes.
"How can one activate security cameras and avoid incidents when there is no electricity?" asked one Kabul resident. "The economic situation is not good and people cannot afford to buy a camera. Security cameras cost money," another local resident told ToloNews.
According to the locals, the Taliban cannot guarantee the safety of citizens and the decision to install cameras would have to be approved by a parliament or at least a popular vote.
In fact, an installation project had already been decided by the former Afghan government in October 2020 after a series of high-profile character assassinations. In January last year, former Vice President Amrullah Saleh had said that the government would spend over 0 million on the installation of state-of-the-art cameras in an attempt to reduce crime.
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24/08/2021 09:03
