KABUL: Neda Mohammad Nadeem, the Minister of Higher Education for the Taliban, has called critics of the “Taliban Courts Penal Code” “infidels.” The remarks came in response to widespread reactions following the endorsement of the document by the Taliban’s leader. The Taliban’s Ministry of Higher Education on Saturday announced that Nadeem made the comments during a graduation ceremony for students from the Abdullah Ibn Mubarak School in Paktia province. During the ceremony, Nadeem claimed that the laws and decrees of the Taliban have been formulated based on “Islamic Sharia” and added that the group does not align its laws with the demands of “infidel critics.” He asserted that while some critics view these laws as strict and unjust, they are, according to him, consistent with Islamic teachings. The Taliban’s penal code has faced extensive backlash from civil society activists, political figures, and some religious scholars. Critics argue that the code contradicts Islamic teachings and basic human rights, claiming it reflects a specific and exclusive interpretation of religion by the Taliban. Observers believe such stances not only restrict freedom of speech and the legal right to criticize but also seek to undermine opposition to the Taliban’s views by labeling dissent as religiously invalid. The Taliban’s Ministry of Justice had previously warned that critics of the group’s laws would be considered “criminals” and subject to prosecution. According to the text of the “Taliban Courts Penal Code,” slavery is recognized, and society is divided into different classes. Human rights organizations have described this document as a precursor to the oppression of religious minorities and an escalation of violence against opponents, viewing it as a serious threat to human rights in Afghanistan.
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