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ISLAMABAD: An Afghan human rights organization has warned that a new penal code issued for courts run by the Taliban legitimizes violence against women and children, institutionalizes discrimination, and strips defendants of basic legal protections. According to a report by AMU, an independent news organization based in Virginia, United States, the group Rawadari said it obtained a copy of the &ldquo;Penal Principles of Taliban Courts,&rdquo; a document it said was <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/taliban-government-instituted-systematic-institutionalized-campaign-to-erase-afghan-women-un-experts" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">violence against women</a> signed by Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada and circulated to judicial institutions across Afghanistan for implementation. Rawadari said the document consists of three sections, 10 chapters and 119 articles, and is in clear conflict with <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/malnutrition-having-harrowing-impact-on-afghan-women-wfp" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">international human rights standards</a> and fundamental principles of fair trial. In a statement, the organization said the code formally legalizes discrimination, suppresses basic freedoms, and enables arbitrary arrest and punishment. It said the provisions fail to recognize key legal safeguards, including the right to legal counsel, the presumption of innocence, the right to remain silent, protection against arbitrary detention, and the right to an effective defense. <div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 2;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2013900381172957565&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2Fnew%2F&sessionId=a88a1e11d2d4a6dfe5d1ffb9a9875a3284bb70bb&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 600px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> Rawadari said the code relies primarily on confessions and witness testimony to establish criminal responsibility and does not provide for independent investigations. The group warned that the approach could increase the risk of torture, coercion and abuse. The organization also raised concerns about provisions affecting children, saying the code does not explicitly prohibit violence against minors and, in some cases, permits corporal punishment. It cited Article 48, which it said allows a father to punish a 10-year-old son for reasons described as being in the child&rsquo;s &ldquo;interest.&rdquo; Rawadari said the code also contains provisions that narrowly criminalize domestic <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/taliban-government-instituted-systematic-institutionalized-campaign-to-erase-afghan-women-un-experts" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">violence against women</a>. Under Article 32, it said, a husband&rsquo;s use of force against his wife is considered a crime only if beatings with a stick result in severe injuries and can be proven before a judge, with a maximum penalty of 15 days in prison. Other forms of abuse, including psychological and sexual violence, are not explicitly prohibited, the organization said. It added that another article allows disciplinary punishment by a &ldquo;husband&rdquo; or &ldquo;master,&rdquo; which it warned could legitimize domestic violence. The group also cited provisions it said discriminate against religious minorities, labeling followers of the Hanafi school of Islam as Muslims while describing adherents of other sects and beliefs as &ldquo;deviants.&rdquo; Rawadari said such classifications could expose Shi&rsquo;ites, Ismailis, Salafis, Sikhs, and Hindus to arbitrary prosecution. Rawadari urged the Taliban to immediately suspend implementation of the code and called on the United Nations and the international community to use available legal mechanisms to prevent its enforcement. It said it would continue monitoring the conduct of the Taliban and publish regular findings. The Taliban have not publicly commented on the report. They have previously said their laws and policies are based on their interpretation of Islamic law.

TOPSHOT - A Taliban security personnel stands guard as Afghan burqa-clad women wait in queue in the midst of a downpour to receive food supplies donated during the Islamic holy fasting month of Ramadan, in Kabul on March 25, 2025 (AFP)

Afghanistan

An Afghan human rights organization warns that a new penal code issued for courts run by the Taliban legitimizes violence against women and children, institutionalizes discrimination, and strips defendants of basic legal protections.

Human rights group says Taliban court code legitimizes violence: Reports 

ISLAMABAD: A yearlong review of police records in Bangladesh found that most incidents involving members of minority communities in 2025 were criminal rather than driven by communal hostility, according to a report released by the police headquarters and cited by state-run news outlet Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS). The review, covering the period from January to December 2025, compiled 645 incidents nationwide involving minority individuals or properties, based on verified First Information Reports, General Diaries, charge sheets, and investigation updates, BSS reported. &ldquo;Bangladesh remains committed to confronting crime with transparency, accuracy, and resolve,&rdquo; the Chief Adviser&rsquo;s Press Wing said following the release of the report, according to BSS. Of the total incidents, 71 were identified as having communal elements, while 574 were assessed as non-communal, the report said.&nbsp; Communal incidents largely involved vandalism or desecration of religious sites and idols, along with a small number of other offenses. The non-communal cases were linked to a range of criminal activities unrelated to religion, including neighborhood disputes, land conflicts, political rivalries, theft, sexual violence, prior personal enmity, and unnatural deaths, the report said. The distinction is significant, the press wing said, as accurate classification helps&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/information-minister-flags-rising-dangers-of-disinformation-misinformation-on-social-media" style="color:#0073e6;">prevent misinformation</a>&nbsp;and supports more effective law-enforcement responses. While all crimes are serious and require accountability, the data shows that most incidents involving minority victims were not motivated by communal hostility, BSS reported. The report also placed the findings within the broader law-and-order context of Bangladesh, noting that an average of about 3,000 to 3,500 people lose their lives to violent crime nationwide each year. Violent crime affects all communities across religious, ethnic, and geographic lines, it said. The press wing said available indicators show gradual improvement in law and order, citing enhanced policing, better intelligence coordination, faster response times, and increased accountability. Bangladesh is home to Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Christians, and people of other beliefs, all of whom are citizens with equal rights, the press wing said. Ensuring safety and justice for every community is both a constitutional and moral obligation, it added. The report was presented &ldquo;in the spirit of transparency and accountability&rdquo; and aimed to provide a factual, evidence-based picture of crime trends affecting minority communities, BSS reported.

File Photo - (Bangladesh Sangband Sangstha - (BSS))

Bangladesh

Of 645 reported cases nationwide, only 71 were linked to communal elements such as vandalism or desecration of religious sites, while the majority stemmed from disputes, crime or personal conflicts unrelated to religion.

Articles tagged with "Minority rights"

Human rights group says Taliban court code legitimizes violence: Reports

Most 2025 minority-related incidents were criminal, not communal: Bangladesh police report

Human rights group says Taliban court code legitimizes violence: Reports