Afghanistan’s human rights organizations have expressed deep concern over the Taliban’s new criminal code, which has been approved by the Taliban’s leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada. The new code is set to be enforced in Afghan courts, raising fears that it could lead to discriminatory practices against minority groups.
According to reports, the Taliban’s new code allows for “manhunt-style” arrests and punishments, which are in direct conflict with international human rights standards. The code also fails to provide guarantees for basic rights, such as the right to counsel, the right to remain silent, and the right to appeal.
Rights groups have criticized the code, saying that it could be used to justify extrajudicial killings of opponents and that it supports social hierarchy and slavery. The code also fails to address psychological and sexual violence against women and children.
The Afghan Human Rights Organization has called for the immediate suspension of the new code, which they say is a clear violation of human rights and targets minority groups. On the other hand, the Taliban has not commented on the report.
This development comes as the international community is already concerned about the Taliban’s human rights record. The United States has expressed its commitment to not using its territory for any attacks on Iran. Israel has announced that it has recovered the remains of a hostage in Gaza, and all hostages have been released.
In other news, the US has increased its military presence in the Middle East, with President Donald Trump announcing that a large American “armada” is headed to the Gulf and will focus on Iran. The Iranian Ministry of Health has reported that security forces have opened fire on protesters, leaving many dead and injured.
In a separate incident, a 37-year-old American nurse, Alex Pretry, was killed in a shooting incident in Minneapolis by ICE officers. The chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, Ehsan Mani, has said that the decision to join the T20 World Cup will be made by Friday or Saturday.
The US has also stated that it will not use its territory to launch attacks on Iran. In a related development, the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Mehmood Khan, has written a formal letter to the Prime Minister of Pakistan regarding the non-payment of federal funds.
In other news, a Pakistani minister has announced that the country’s exports have reached a record high in the current fiscal year. The Indian media has reported that the Vice-Chairman of the BCCI, Rajeev Shukla, has said that they had wanted Bangladesh to play in the World Cup.
In a separate incident, a 23-year-old man has gone missing in the Land Sliding incident in Jammu and Kashmir. The police have been given a deadline of 15 minutes to reach the city and 20 minutes to reach rural areas in case of an emergency.
