RASC News Agency: Local sources in Nimroz province report that the Taliban have arbitrarily detained over 36 individuals in the past week on various charges. Officials from the Taliban’s Criminal Investigation Department within the provincial police command in Nimroz have confirmed that these arrests took place in the city of Zaranj, the provincial capital, and were related to a range of alleged crimes.
The Taliban authorities claim that the detainees face accusations of theft, disputes, drug trafficking, and moral corruption. They further stated that the cases of these individuals have been handed over to judicial and legal bodies for further processing. However, an anonymous source told RASC News Agency that these detentions were arbitrary and made under various pretexts. The source alleged that for some time, the Taliban have been arresting Zaranj residents without evidence or proper documentation and imprisoning them. Furthermore, many individuals have been released only after enduring torture.
Another source reported that the detainees were beaten during their arrests and subsequently taken to prison. This source also affirmed that the Taliban’s actions were arbitrary and lacked legal grounds. Previous reports from Zaranj have similarly indicated that the Taliban have been detaining individuals without sufficient evidence, subjecting them to torture during their imprisonment.
Since their takeover of Afghanistan, the Taliban have arrested hundreds of individuals across various provinces on a range of charges. Meanwhile, the Taliban’s head of prisons has disclosed that over 16,000 individuals are currently held in their prisons, with many awaiting judgment and the implementation of their sentences.