KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The Taliban’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has dismissed the United Nations’ call to abolish public executions, describing the UN’s position as “irresponsible” and rooted in “ignorance of Islamic rulings.”
In a statement released Wednesday, the ministry said the Taliban, as an “Islamic government,” considers the implementation of the death penalty a “religious obligation.”
“It should be unequivocally stated that the implementation of Shariah-prescribed punishments, including Qisas, is an undeniable component of Islamic law that has demonstrated its effectiveness in ensuring justice and social order,” the ministry said.
The remarks came after the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) condemned the Taliban’s latest public execution of four men accused of murder, describing the act as a violation of the right to life. UNAMA urged the Taliban to “immediately end the death penalty as a step toward its abolition.”
The executions took place on Friday, April 11, in the provinces of Badghis, Nimruz, and Farah. These marked the tenth known instances of public executions carried out by the Taliban since the group’s return to power in 2021.
The ministry warned UNAMA against making similar statements in the future, claiming such remarks undermine Islamic law and overstep the mission’s mandate.
“IEA-MoFA [Taliban Ministry of Foreign Affairs] reminds UNAMA that any attempt to critique or undermine the ordinances of Islamic Shariah constitutes an overreach, is in direct contravention of the organization’s mandate, and is categorically unacceptable,” the ministry said. “Moving forward, it is imperative that UNAMA refrain from engaging in such remarks.”
Amnesty International, an international human rights group, has also condemned the Taliban’s recent executions, calling them “deplorable” and highlighting the Taliban’s ongoing disregard for human rights in Afghanistan.
The rights group has urged the international community to intensify pressure on the Taliban to end what it describes as a “blatant” violation of human rights and to ensure international safeguards are upheld in the country.
