new zealand allows pregnancy reporter who sought taliban’s help to return

new zealand journalist charlotte bliss, who said she was unable to return to her home country due to corona regulations and had asked the taliban for help, was eventually granted permission to enter new zealand.

charlotte bliss earlier described in a story in the new zealand herald that the new zealand government had rejected her request to return and give birth in her home country.

the new zealand government also defended its border policies, with corona minister chris hipkins saying there is always room in quarantine hotels for people like this female journalist with “special conditions.”

the journalist’s story outlined wellington’s strict border policies to tackle corona.

but at the same time, many criticized him for being close to the taliban.

under current new zealand law citizens and permanent residents can enter the country provided they are quarantined for ten days at a hotel.

but the request to stay in these hotels is high and scarce, so many new zealand citizens have not been able to return home in practice.

the new zealand government’s very strict policies to prevent the spread of coronavirus have been criticized.

finally on tuesday, after public attention in the case, the new zealand government announced that it had offered ms. bliss a quarantine location and arranged for her flight.

deputy prime minister grant robertson told reporters at his daily briefing on the coronavirus situation on tuesday that a place was being considered for ms. bliss’s quarantine.

he denied that the move was a result of the attention provoked by ms bliss, who said staff were reviewing emergency requests on a daily basis.

the new zealand government had previously said it had twice offered consular assistance to ms bliss, who had published a report on her experience.

what did charlotte bliss ask the taliban for?

in her column for the new zealand herald, ms bliss said the government had rejected her request last week to return home to give birth.

currently, wellington allows citizens and permanent residents to enter, but only if they spend 10 days quarantined in special hotels.

he compared the experience to the behavior of the taliban he contacted.

ms. bliss said an unidentified afghan official had told her, “you can come and you won’t have a problem. just tell people you’re married and contact us if there’s a problem.”

“when the taliban offer you – a pregnant and single woman – safe haven, you realize that things are messy,” she wrote.

this comes after single afghan mothers say the taliban have repeatedly harassed them. they also say they are under pressure to abandon their children and that their right to custody is in danger.