RASC News Agency: Abdul Hakeem Sharae, the Minister of Justice of the Taliban, recently declared that the use of terms such as “party,” is a “crime,” and the engagement in political party activities are proscribed within the regime governed by this faction.
Shariati made these pronouncements during a session in Kabul on Saturday, March 30th, amidst recent controversies between the Taliban and Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, the leader of the Islamic Party of Afghanistan, asserting that referencing a political party is construed as a “criminal offense.” The Minister of Justice for the Taliban affirmed that the leadership of political parties was dismantled from the structures of the Taliban’s Ministry of Justice last year, and engaging in political party activities is now considered a “crime.”
The Taliban faction asserted a week ago that they relocated Gulbuddin Hekmatyar’s residence from Kabul’s Darul Aman area, alleging that the property belongs to the government but was assigned to him by the previous administration. The declarations made by the Minister of Justice for the Taliban regarding the “criminalization of mentioning a party” elicited widespread reactions.
Radio “Azadi” cited Shah Mahmoud Miakhel, the deputy of the National Peace and People’s Empowerment Movement of Afghanistan, who reported, “The current rulers of this nation prohibit party activities to maintain their grip on power.” Miakhel remarked, “The Taliban movement or the Haqqani network, these entities are essentially parties themselves. Unfortunately, they establish parties and wield authority and weaponry, yet they aim to deprive others of the same.”
Isa Es’haghzai, the head of the Afghanistan National Congress, also weighed in, stating, “Dictators and totalitarian structures dread freedom and the voice of the people, which epitomize justice and human rights.” Last year, the Taliban’s Ministry of Justice decreed the illegality of political party activities due to a lack of “legal foundation” and “benefit for the citizens” in Afghanistan. Presently, this ministry even regards mentioning “criminal parties” as a punishable act.
