The radical Islamist Taliban movement has banned all political parties in Afghanistan, claiming that their activities contradict Sharia law. The Minister of Justice in the Taliban government, Abdul Hakim Sharai, announced the ban on Thursday, August 17, at a press conference in Kabul, Deutsche Welle writes.
"There is no Sharia basis for the activities of political parties in the country. They do not serve national interests, and the people do not appreciate them," Abdul Hakim Sharai argued.
More than 70 large and small political parties were registered with the Ministry of Justice of Afghanistan two years ago – before the Taliban regained control of the country.
Meanwhile, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) recalled the detention of journalists by the Taliban in six provinces of the country over the past ten days. The mission pointed to the obligation of the authorities to respect the right to freedom of expression.
In the press freedom ranking compiled by Reporters Without Borders, Afghanistan ranks 152nd out of 180, and the Taliban is called "one of the biggest enemies of press freedom in the world."
Two years ago, on August 15, 2021, the radical Islamist Taliban movement came to power in Afghanistan.
The Taliban took control of the entire country within weeks of the withdrawal of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) from it.
"Afghan society is demoralized and exhausted. The economy is in ruins. More than 20 million people live below the poverty line and are struggling to survive," said Khushal Asefi, a journalist and former head of Ariana TV and radio company.
