Public executions, stonings, and more: Taliban order full implementation of Islamic law

The Taliban's chief spokesperson said on Sunday (November 23) that Afghanistan's supreme leader has ordered the judges to fully implement aspects of the Islamic law that include public executions, stonings and floggings, and the amputation of limbs for thieves.

In a tweet, Zabihullah Mujahid noted that Hibatullah Akhundzada gave the "obligatory" command, which was finalised after the secretive leader met with a group of judges.

Mujahid quoted Akhundzada as saying: "Carefully examine the files of thieves, kidnappers and seditionists. Those files in which all the sharia (Islamic law) conditions of hudud and qisas have been fulfilled, you are obliged to implement. This is the ruling of sharia, and my command, which is obligatory."

News agency AFP reported that Akhundzada rules by decree from Kandahar. Notably, Akhundzada has not been filmed or photographed in public since the Taliban returned to power in August last year.

After the Taliban regained control of Kabul last year, the authorities said that they will rebrand themselves as a moderate political movement. The Taliban also tried to improve foreign relations and boost trade and the economy.

However, the so-called Taliban 2.0 remained more or less the same. Analysts have stated in the past that, the new version of the Taliban is not willing to make significant political concessions.

There are no indications that the militant group is looking forward to making drastic changes to its extremist ideology or changing its harsh social policies, especially regarding women's mobility, education, or right to work.

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