Russia lifts ban on Taliban

The country’s top court has removed the group from the terrorist list

Russia’s Supreme Court on Thursday lifted the Taliban’s designation as a “terrorist organization,” effectively legalizing the group’s activities in the country.

The Islamist movement, which took power in Afghanistan four years ago, had been listed as a terrorist entity since 2003, making any contact with its members a criminal offense under Russian law.

The decision follows calls from Russian officials to engage with the Taliban to help stabilize Afghanistan. The group returned to power in August 2021 following the withdrawal of US and NATO forces after their two-decade presence in the Central Asian country.

Since that time, Moscow has resumed diplomatic contacts with Taliban officials. Last year, President Vladimir Putin said it was “necessary to build relations with the current government somehow,” as they are now in control of Afghanistan.

In May 2024, the Russian Foreign Ministry and Ministry of Justice formally proposed lifting the ban. Earlier this month, the Prosecutor General’s Office submitted the motion to the Supreme Court, leading to Thursday’s ruling.

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Previously, Russian law had no mechanism for removing organizations from the terrorist list. However, amendments passed in 2023 to the federal law on countering terrorism now allow the courts to suspend the designation if the group in question has ceased activities involving propaganda, justification, or support of terrorism, and no longer violates the Criminal Code.

Although the Taliban government is not officially recognized by the international community, several Central Asian countries have recently renewed ties with Kabul. Kazakhstan removed the group from its terrorist list in June 2024, followed by Kyrgyzstan in September. Turkmenistan has resumed cooperation through the TAPI gas pipeline project, and Uzbekistan signed several joint agreements with Kabul in August 2024.

Mohammad Suhail Shaheen, the Taliban’s envoy to Qatar and its de facto international spokesman, told RT earlier this month that Kabul welcomed Russia’s move, saying the ban had stood “in the way of cooperation” between the two countries.

Experts say Thursday’s ruling does not constitute formal recognition of the Taliban government, but will facilitate diplomatic engagement.