RASC News Agency: The Taliban court in Balkh has issued a directive barring men with short beards from providing testimony. According to an official statement, men whose beards are shorter than the “fist-length” measurement should not enter the court. The Taliban’s court in Dehdadi District of Balkh province has declared it will not accept testimony from men with beards shorter than a fist’s length under the chin. This restriction affects cases reviewed by the court and could prevent many individuals from serving as witnesses.
According to sources, the court’s head has recently turned away several men who attempted to testify in cases involving family members or acquaintances. Court officials have been instructed to measure the beard length of potential witnesses and deny entry to those with shorter beards. To ensure public awareness, the court has even posted a notice on its walls. The statement reads: “From now on, witnesses called to verify documents or to deliver testimony regarding court rulings will not be accepted by this court or under Sharia law if they have shaved or closely trimmed beards. Those with shaved beards should not disrupt proceedings, as their testimony will be categorically rejected.”
A source also revealed that the central Taliban court in the city enforces the same policy, rejecting men with beards that fall short of this length as witnesses. The source recounted an incident in which he visited the court to obtain a marriage certificate, accompanied by two male relatives as witnesses. However, court officials expelled both men with scorn due to their trimmed beards, denying them the right to testify.
