KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The Taliban Ministry of Justice says that all laws enacted by the regime are entirely in accordance with Sharia and warns that critics may face legal action, including being referred to the courts.
In a statement on Thursday, September 12, the ministry said that anyone who opposes or challenges the laws approved by the Taliban leader in the media or public forums will face legal action.
“Anyone who opposes the enacted legislative documents of the Islamic Emirate in the media or other forums, or criticizes them with the intent to sabotage or due to hostility, will face Sharia enforcement and be referred to the courts,” part of the Taliban statement reads.
The ministry further stated that anyone seeking clarification about the laws or wishing to make suggestions should visit the ministry directly, rather than criticizing them publicly.
This comes as the Taliban’s newly enacted “morality” law has faced widespread criticism from activists and rights groups both within and outside the country, as well as from the UN and several other nations.
The Taliban’s new law, approved by the regime’s supreme leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada, imposes extensive restrictions on the Afghan population, especially targeting women and girls.
Recently, members of the UN Security Council condemned the Taliban’s new law, comparing it to their draconian rule from the 1990s and suggesting that the regime has not moderated its approach.
They called on the Taliban to reverse the law and all policies that restrict the fundamental rights and freedoms of Afghan citizens, particularly women and girls.
Similarly, the EU, Australia, Germany, Iceland, and several rights groups, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, along with activists and politicians such as Malala Yousafzai and Hillary Clinton, have condemned the Taliban’s new measures.
Under Taliban rule, women and girls have suffered the most from restrictions described by the UN as “gender apartheid,” which have excluded them from public life.
Before the new restrictions, women and girls were already barred from pursuing education beyond the sixth grade, prohibited from most forms of employment, and restricted from visiting parks, gyms, and beauty salons, as well as traveling long distances without a male guardian.
