Taliban leader orders judges to award Sharia law punishments

KANDAHAR (Pajhwok): Islamic Emirate supreme leader Sheikh Haibatullah Akhundzada has advised judges to impose Sharia law punishments for crimes including kidnapping, robberies and sedition.

The Taliban supreme leader met a number of religious scholars, judges and heads of courts in Kandahar City late Saturday, the governor’s house said in a statement.

The statement quoted Sheikh Haibatullah Akhundzada as telling the judges and heads of the courts to award Sharia punishments in cases that fulfilled all Sharia conditions.

The meeting was attended by deputy head of the Supreme Court and chairman and members of the High Court at the zone level, the chairman and members of the military court, the chairman and members of the city court, scholars, the governor of Kandahar and other officials.

Sheikh Haibatullah Akhundzada said: “Cases that fulfill all Sharia conditions, you are obliged to impose haq and qisas because this is Sharia Mohammadi (PBUH) and my order, it is necessary and obligatory for you to implement.”

He also recommended that the cases of robbers, kidnappers and seditionists should be carefully and thoroughly investigated.

The leader of the Islamic Emirate had insisted in his previous decrees and meetings that all provisions of Sharia must be implemented.

The Taliban’s supreme leader said judges must punish criminals according to Sharia, if the crime committed is a violation of those laws.

Taliban’s spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid tweeted late on Sunday that the “obligatory” command came after Mullah Akhundzada met a group of judges.

“Carefully examine the files of thieves, kidnappers and seditionists,” Mujahid quoted Akhundzada as saying.

Since sweeping to power 15 months ago, no one has been punished under Sharila law, but in some provinces, some convicts were awarded 30 lashes each.

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