RASC News Agency: Local sources in Helmand province report a sharp rise in public grievances regarding the operation of courts under Taliban control. According to these sources, most citizens who have approached the central Taliban court in Lashkar Gah express profound frustration over the neglect of their petitions and the protracted delay or outright dismissal of their legal cases.
Reports indicate that hundreds of residents from Helmand’s 18 districts visit the provincial court daily to pursue claims ranging from murder and abduction of girls to property disputes and civil matters. Shockingly, a significant portion of these cases remains unresolved, victims left with little hope of legal redress.
Residents contend that judicial officials and prosecutors in district-level courts are deeply entrenched in corruption, routinely demanding bribes, which forces citizens to appeal to the central court in Lashkar Gah. Yet, even at the provincial capital, the situation is no better. Case proceedings are frequently contingent on the payment of bribes, rendering justice inaccessible to those without financial means and reducing the court system to a vehicle for extortion.
Several complainants report that their cases have languished for months or even years with judges openly prioritizing wealthier petitioners over merit or evidence. Even when individuals present official documents or clear legal proof, the lack of procedural transparency, inadequate infrastructure, and arbitrary decisions by court officials often leave them without justice.
Local sources additionally note that some Taliban authorities in Helmand have admitted, in private, that courts mistreat citizens and largely ignore public complaints. Nevertheless, the regime continues to justify delays and inaction by citing Afghanistan’s four-decade-long history of conflict, asserting that certain cases are still under review a claim that many view as a pretext for institutional neglect and systematic abuse of power.
Legal analysts warn that this pervasive corruption and lack of accountability are eroding public trust in the judiciary, fueling resentment, and increasing the potential for social unrest. Under the Taliban’s opaque and coercive judicial system, ordinary citizens are effectively stripped of their legal rights, leaving the population vulnerable to exploitation, intimidation, and arbitrary punishment.
The crisis in Helmand mirrors a broader pattern across Taliban-controlled regions, where governance is subordinated to personal enrichment, nepotism, and power consolidation. By reducing the courts to instruments of bribery and fear, the Taliban not only deny justice to citizens but also exacerbate lawlessness, undermine human rights, and deepen social instability across Afghanistan.
Experts stress that without fundamental reform and external oversight, the Taliban’s judicial apparatus will continue to perpetuate inequality and injustice, effectively criminalizing poverty and entrenching systemic oppression.
