Taliban Jails Longtime Religious Mentor For Anti-Pakistan Fatwa

Speaking at a “Kabul-NATO Dialogue” session in Canada’s parliament, Lüttenberg responded to criticism over Germany’s decision to allow Taliban-appointed diplomats to operate in the country. He emphasised that Berlin’s cooperation with the group is pragmatic and limited in scope.

His remarks came after Afghan civil activist Ejaz Malikzada criticised the German government for what he described as a double standard citing Germany’s acceptance of Taliban diplomats while taking a strong stance against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Malikzada, who referred to the Taliban as a “terrorist group,” accused Germany of undermining its own values on human rights by engaging with the Taliban administration. “This is a betrayal of the principles Germany has long stood for,” he said.

The session was attended by Afghan activists, journalists, Canadian lawmakers, and Western diplomats.

Taliban Diplomats Accepted in Germany

Diplomatic sources recently told Afghanistan International that the German government has granted visas to two Taliban-appointed diplomats to work at the Afghan embassy in Berlin and the consulate in Bonn.

German officials later confirmed the move, explaining that the appointments were part of a practical arrangement to facilitate deportation flights for Afghan nationals with criminal records.

German government spokesperson Stefan Cornelius said the decision aims to enable the repatriation of a larger number of deportees. The Taliban appointees, identified as Sayed Mustafa Hashimi and Nibras-ul-Haq, will be stationed in Berlin and Bonn.

Germany recently deported 81 Afghan nationals classified as criminals back to Kabul.

Despite the move, Berlin maintains that it does not recognise the Taliban as the legitimate rulers of Afghanistan and continues to support human rights, democratic governance, and inclusive representation in the country.

In a statement, Behsoodi said individuals had lodged baseless complaints against his office with the Taliban-controlled Ministry of Justice, leading to what he described as a targeted and unjustified crackdown.

“These conspiracies and schemes misled the Ministry of Justice,” he stated, adding that as a result, the office was sealed, four individuals were arrested, and teachers, students, and staff were expelled.

Although the detainees were later released due to a lack of evidence and no formal court ruling, Behsoodi said he learned that his branch office and affiliated seminary in Dashte Barchi had also been shut down.

“The justice minister makes decisions without conducting proper investigations,” he said, announcing his resignation from the religious custodianship of the Mahdavia Mosque and school in protest.

Behsoodi has been an outspoken critic of Taliban policies over the past four years. In a recent address in Balkh, he urged the group to engage with the international community, build ties with neighbouring countries, and recognise Afghanistan’s ethnic and political diversity.

He called on the Taliban to respect the country’s cultural and religious pluralism and to transition their interim government into an inclusive national administration.

“If we have a truly national administration, the world cannot eliminate, humiliate, or ignore us,” Behsoodi said.

According to a statement released by the Taliban, the invitation was extended during a phone conversation between the two officials, marking the first formal contact since Russia officially recognised the Taliban government. Russia recently became the first country to recognise the Taliban regime.

During the call, the two ministers reportedly discussed regional security and cooperation in combating drug trafficking. Lavrov noted that Russia’s recognition of the Taliban government had paved the way for enhanced political, economic and international collaboration, the statement said.

The Moscow Format talks are aimed at fostering dialogue on Afghanistan’s future and regional stability. Although no specific date has been announced, Russia’s special envoy for Afghanistan, Zamir Kabulov, has indicated that the next round of talks is expected to take place between September and October 2025.

The campaign is reportedly being supervised by Mullah Shirin, the Taliban governor of Kandahar and a trusted aide to Akhundzada.

Sources told Afghanistan International that Mullah Shirin traveled to Kabul approximately 10 days ago to oversee the enforcement of the Taliban’s morality code. Shortly after his arrival, a high-level meeting was convened, attended by officials from the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, the Interior Ministry, and Akhundzada’s representatives. The meeting focused on implementing strict dress codes for women in the capital.

Following the meeting, a directive was issued to enforce mandatory hijab rules more strictly across Kabul. Sources said Akhundzada had received reports indicating that Kabul’s Interior Ministry was not fully cooperating with the enforcement of religious laws, prompting him to send a delegation led by Mullah Shirin to address the issue.

According to sources, internal disagreements exist within the Taliban ranks, particularly between officials in Kandahar and the Haqqani network, over the implementation of these policies.

The delegation led by Mullah Shirin also reportedly traveled to Balkh, Badakhshan, and other provinces to inspect local enforcement of religious laws.

Earlier, Taliban forces in Kandahar detained nearly 400 men for shaving their beards or having Western-style haircuts during a similar campaign.

Since reclaiming power in 2021, the Taliban has issued a series of restrictive edicts, particularly targeting women, as part of a broader effort to remove them from public and civic life.

In recent days, dozens of women and girls have been arrested in several neighborhoods of Kabul, prompting widespread concern among families and rights advocates.

The consulate is expected to formally notify German authorities of its staff’s objections.

A senior diplomatic source confirmed that concerns over human rights and the security of sensitive Afghan citizen documents make it impossible for republic-era diplomats to continue working if Taliban envoys are installed.

The diplomats warned that if their demands are not met, they will formally lower the Afghan tricolour flag and hand over all official documents, equipment, and property to the German Foreign Ministry.

Last week, diplomatic sources revealed that Germany had accepted two Taliban-appointed diplomats to serve at the Afghan Embassy in Berlin and the consulate in Bonn, issuing them visas.

One of the two, Nabrasul Haq, has already arrived in Germany, according to a verified source.