Kerala Woman Vlogger Says Solo Trip Led to Arrest Threat In Afghanistan

A Kerala-based travel vlogger reported being threatened with arrest by authorities in Bamyan, Afghanistan, for traveling without a male companion. She claimed she was previously detained by local groups and faced significant difficulty navigating the country's restrictive laws for women.
Why it matters
The incident highlights the severe gender-based travel restrictions and safety risks faced by solo female travelers in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.
A Keralite woman travel vlogger, who had earlier claimed that she was arrested by the "Mujahideen" in Afghanistan, has now said that local authorities threatened to arrest her in Bamyan, citing the country's law that women cannot travel without a male companion or guide."According to the law of this country, a woman cannot travel alone," the vlogger, who runs the Facebook page Backpacker Arunima, said in a fresh social media post. She added that she had earlier been denied a permit in Jalalabad because she was travelling alone.The authorities in Bamyan told her that she had violated the law and would be arrested, the vlogger claimed.Recounting the incident, she said she reached Bamyan around 7 pm and was questioned about her passport, visa and permit.She became extremely frightened after being told that she had violated the law.
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