KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The Taliban has released 4,249 prisoners from civilian and military prisons across Afghanistan as part of pardons marking the fifth anniversary of its return to power, the group’s supreme court announced.
In a statement on Thursday, the court said 3,980 prisoners had been released from civilian prisons and another 269 from military facilities. The releases were made to mark what the Taliban calls “Victory Day,” the anniversary of Aug. 15, 2021, when the group seized Kabul following the withdrawal of U.S.-led international forces and the collapse of the previous Afghan government.
The court also said prison sentences had been reduced for 4,050 other inmates. Those included 3,993 prisoners in civilian facilities and 57 held in military prisons, according to the statement. A special committee had been appointed to verify the identities and status of prisoners as part of the process.
The overall number of people currently held in Taliban-run prisons remains unclear. Taliban authorities have previously provided varying figures, with officials at one point saying more than 20,000 people, including women, children and foreign nationals, were being held in prisons and detention centers under their control.
Since returning to power in 2021, the Taliban has detained hundreds of people, including women, activists, journalists, former government employees and critics of its rule. Some detainees have subsequently been released after providing guarantees or pledges, while others have remained in custody.
The Taliban has also faced repeated allegations of abuses in detention facilities. Human rights organizations and former detainees have reported torture and other forms of mistreatment, while concerns have also been raised over sexual violence and forced labour.
A joint investigation by The Guardian and Afghan media outlet Zan Times, published in November 2024, documented testimonies from women who said they had experienced rape and beatings while in Taliban custody. Some women also described witnessing the deaths of children in detention.
Human rights groups have repeatedly called on the Taliban to allow independent monitoring of its prisons and detention centers. They have said unrestricted access is necessary to establish the treatment and whereabouts of detainees and to help prevent abuse, particularly against women and children.
