Taliban's Ministry of Justice Threatens To Prosecute Critics of Their Laws

Following widespread criticism of the Taliban's laws, the group's Ministry of Justice issued a warning that anyone opposing their ratified legislative documents will be brought to trial.

The ministry stated that the Taliban’s laws are "100 percent Sharia-based" and that opposition to them is an "objection to Sharia," which is unacceptable.

According to the ministry, their legislative documents are derived from the "Holy Book of Allah, the traditions of the Prophet, and recognised Islamic jurisprudential texts”.

In a statement released on Thursday, the ministry emphasised that there is no article in their legislative documents that hasn't been sourced from the mentioned texts. They also noted that committees composed of scholars, muftis, and sheikhs within the ministry work on these legislative documents.

"If anyone criticises the ratified legislative documents out of prejudice or with the intention of undermining the system, this criticism is considered an objection to Sharia and will not be tolerated under any circumstances," the statement added.

The ministry further warned that "if any individual publicly criticises the ratified legislative documents of the Islamic Emirate, whether in the media or in other forums, and does so with malicious intent or hostility, they will face Sharia-based consequences and will be referred to the courts."

Over the past three years, the Taliban have ratified laws that have deprived citizens of their civil, political, and social rights. Among these are the bans on girls' education and women's employment. Recently, the Taliban's "Law on the Propagation Virtue and Prevention of Vice" has faced widespread criticism, as it has imposed even more restrictions on citizens, particularly women. This law mandates the Taliban's version of the hijab and declares women's voices as inappropriate for public spaces.
In addition to human rights activists and citizens, even some clerics supportive of the Taliban have criticised this law, arguing that it contradicts Islam.