The Taliban’s Supreme Court says that over the past five years, 16,468 prisoners have been pardoned and the prison sentences of 11,159 others have been reduced in Afghanistan.
Mansoor Ahmad Hamza, spokesperson for the Taliban’s Supreme Court, said the prisoners were released based on orders from Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada and directives from Abdul Hakim Haqqani, the head of the Supreme Court.
He said: “Based on the order of Hibatullah Akhundzada and the directive of Supreme Court Chief Abdul Hakim Haqqani, 16,468 prisoners have been pardoned over the past five years, while the sentences of 11,159 prisoners have been reduced.”
The Taliban’s Supreme Court has not disclosed how many people, including women, are currently being held in prisons across Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, international human rights organizations have repeatedly expressed concerns about torture and mistreatment of detainees in facilities administered by the Taliban, particularly prisons under the supervision of the Taliban intelligence service.
According to human rights organizations, victims of torture lack access to effective mechanisms for filing complaints and ensuring their safety. There have also been reports of prisoners dying as a result of torture in detention facilities.
The Taliban, however, have denied reports of torture in their prisons, saying that under their principles, any form of mistreatment of accused individuals is prohibited.
Writer:Saeed Sameer
