Ex-Taliban 'justice minister' confirms draconian laws, executions to return in Afghanistan

After taking over Afghanistan, the Taliban is again set to implement the previous draconian laws to bring "justice to the society." According to a report by the Associated Press (AP), the extremist group would carry out executions and amputations of hands like the previous rule. However, it is still not clear whether they would execute the accused in public or follow in-room justice policy. While speaking to the news agency, Mullah Nooruddin Turabi, one of the founders of the Taliban and the chief enforcer of its harsh version of Sharia law, has warned the world leaders to not interfere in the domestic, as well as, justice policy of the country. He confirmed that the extremist group will carry out executions and amputations of hands.

While speaking to the news agency, he refuted the claims of outrage over executions in the past. It is worth noting that during the Taliban's previous rule, executions took place in front of crowds at stadiums. "Everyone criticised us for the punishments in the stadium, but we have never said anything about their laws and their punishments," Turabi told The Associated Press, speaking in Kabul. "No one will tell us what our laws should be. We will follow Islam and we will make our laws on the Quran." Projecting the positive works of the Taliban in the previous rule, Turabi asserted that the country had progressed tremendously in terms of technology and brought the mobile phone revolution into the country.

Former justice minister reiterated implementing draconian laws 

Turabi, who was the justice minister and head of the Ministry of Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice (a kind of religious police) during the Taliban’s previous rule, had encouraged punishment at crowded places like stadiums or Eid Gah mosque in the national capital. According to the draconian laws implemented by the extremist group, if a person was accused in a murder case, they had a practice of shooting the convicts on the head. However, if the victim's family agreed to accept compensation money, they pardon the culprits to live. For convicted thieves, the punishment was amputation of a hand. For those convicted of highway robbery, a hand and a foot were amputated.

Turabi advocated bringing women into the judiciary

According to Turabi, they are following faith-based laws and he reiterated following the same practice this time also. Though he advocated bringing women into the judicial system, he stated the foundation of the laws would be the Quran. "Cutting off of hands is very necessary for security," Mullah Nooruddin Turabi said, saying it had a deterrent effect. He said the Cabinet was studying whether to do punishments in public and will develop a policy. "We are changed from the past," he said claiming that the present interim government has 'allowed' television, mobile phones, photos and video for its citizens as it understands these gadgets have become an integral part of life.

(With inputs from AP)

(Image: AP)