UK Envoy Says a Peaceful Afghanistan Requires Respect for All Rights

Britain’s envoy for Afghanistan warned that new court rules threaten justice and peace by discriminating against women, ethnics and dissenting citizens.

Richard Lindsay, the UK’s representative for Afghanistan, said a just and peaceful Afghanistan requires respect for the rights of all citizens.

He said the Taliban’s newly approved criminal code for their courts shows the opposite, institutionalising discrimination against women, minorities and those defying imposed social norms.

Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada recently endorsed the group’s “criminal code for courts,” making it binding across the country.

Since returning to power in 2021, the Taliban have steadily imposed strict legal and social restrictions, particularly targeting women’s rights and religious freedoms.

The code has triggered widespread criticism from political groups and rights advocates, who warn it could deepen repression and erode basic protections.

Under the code, violence against women and children is narrowly defined as severe physical harm, while psychological and sexual abuse are not explicitly prohibited.

The Taliban justice ministry has rejected criticism, saying opposition to its laws is a religious crime and that all legislation is derived from Hanafi jurisprudence, the Quran and Sunnah.

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