An Afghan human rights organization has voiced strong concerns over the Taliban’s newly approved criminal procedure code for Afghan courts, warning that it violates fundamental rights and international human rights norms.
According to an Afghan journal, Taliban supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada recently approved new criminal procedural regulations for Taliban-run courts. The new criminal code has since been formally issued for implementation across Afghanistan’s judicial institutions.
The Afghan human rights group Rawadari stated that the Taliban’s criminal code amounts to discriminatory treatment against minorities and significantly restricts basic freedoms. The organization warned that the new legal framework allows for arbitrary arrests and punishments, placing it in direct conflict with internationally recognized human rights standards.
Rawadari further said that the Taliban’s criminal code does not guarantee key legal rights, including the right to legal counsel, the right to remain silent, or the right to compensation. The group added that other essential safeguards required for a fair trial are also absent from the new regulations.
The human rights organization expressed concern that certain provisions of the code could pave the way for extrajudicial killings of political opponents. It also noted that criticism of the Taliban has effectively been criminalized under the new legal framework.
According to Rawadari, the Taliban’s criminal code promotes social hierarchy and even supports forms of servitude. The group said the code ignores psychological and sexual violence against women and children, further entrenching systemic abuses.
The organization has demanded the immediate suspension of the criminal code, stating that its discriminatory clauses directly target minorities in Afghanistan and institutionalize human rights violations.
Meanwhile, the Afghan journal reported that the Taliban have not issued any response or comment regarding the human rights group’s report.
