Taliban Labels Calls to Halt Executions as “Irresponsible”

The Taliban’s Foreign Ministry, responding to the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan’s (UNAMA) call to suspend the death penalty, described these demands as “irresponsible” and indicative of “ignorance of Islamic rulings.”

In a statement issued on Wednesday (16 April), the ministry emphasized that implementing the death penalty is an “obligation” of the “Islamic system.”

According to the Taliban Foreign Ministry’s statement, death sentences are issued after cases are reviewed in three judicial stages (primary, appellate, and cassation) and with guarantees of the defendants’ right to defense.

The ministry added, “Hudud and Qisas (Islamic penal codes) are undeniable components of Sharia, and this must be clear to everyone.” It also criticized denunciations of Islamic rulings as “audacity” and inconsistent with UNAMA’s mandate, urging the mission to refrain from such remarks in the future.

This reaction followed a recent UNAMA statement that condemned the execution of four individuals on Friday (11 April) in Badghis, Farah, and Nimroz provinces by the Taliban. UNAMA described the death penalty as a violation of the “right to life” and called for its suspension and eventual abolition.

Since the Taliban’s return to power, at least 10 people have been publicly executed in seven provinces. The group also routinely carries out public floggings of defendants in various regions.

International human rights organizations have repeatedly condemned these punishments as violations of human dignity and international law, demanding their immediate cessation.

The Taliban, however, justifies these measures under the framework of “implementing Islamic Sharia” and insists on their continuation.