KABUL: The Taliban regime has imposed a complete and sweeping ban on all forms of protests across Afghanistan, formalizing the restriction through a newly issued police law approved by the group’s Supreme Leader.
According to Afghan media reports, Supreme Leader Haibatullah Akhundzada has given his final approval to the new police code, which was officially promulgated by the Afghan Ministry of Justice on Saturday. The legislation outlines the duties and responsibilities of various police departments, but Article 50 stands out as particularly restrictive, explicitly stating that “any kind of demonstration on the territory of Afghanistan is prohibited.”
The development comes shortly after the Afghan Taliban officially changed the name of their police force to “Barda,” marking a symbolic shift in the security apparatus.
Interestingly, alongside the protest ban, the new law contains provisions aimed at regulating police conduct during arrests. Under the legislation, officers are instructed to avoid actions that may harm the physical health or self-respect of detainees or suspects. Furthermore, the law stipulates that no prisoner or suspect shall be beaten with a stick, whip, or cable, nor subjected to any form of torture, without a court order. However, human rights observers have expressed skepticism, noting that similar pledges in the past have rarely been enforced, and the outright ban on assembly further erodes civic freedoms in the country.
