Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada has urged members of the group to “recognise their limits and authority” after assuming office, warning against discord, negligence and arbitrary conduct.
His remarks follow comments by Sirajuddin Haqqani, the Taliban’s interior minister, who recently said the group governs through humiliation, violence, fear and intimidation.
Hamdullah Fitrat, the Taliban’s deputy spokesperson, published the text of Akhundzada’s speech on X on Tuesday, 16 December. The speech was delivered at a seminar in Kandahar.
Akhundzada called on officials across Taliban institutions to carry out their duties in accordance with what he described as Sharia law, and urged them not to discriminate between the poor and the wealthy in their decisions and conduct.
He said officials must understand the rights people have over them and the responsibilities they have assumed. According to Akhundzada, anyone who accepts a position of authority is obliged to receive proper training and act with awareness.
Although Akhundzada did not name any individual, his remarks followed statements made last week by Haqqani in Khost province, where the interior minister said a government that rules people through “fear and force” is not a real government.
In what appeared to be an implicit admission, Haqqani acknowledged that the Taliban relies on humiliation, violence and the creation of fear to govern. “A government that rules people only through intimidation is not a government,” he said. “Between the people and a good government, there must be a bond of affection and trust.”
Haqqani’s comments prompted reactions, particularly among figures loyal to Akhundzada.
Prisoners Must Not Be Tortured
In his speech, Akhundzada also addressed the treatment of prisoners, saying detainees must not be tortured and should not be punished without a court order. He instructed officials to provide opportunities for education to those in custody.
Human rights organisations have repeatedly criticised the Taliban for widespread repression and what they describe as a suffocating environment in Afghanistan.
Human Rights Watch has reported that Taliban forces have detained critics, journalists and individuals accused of links to opposition groups, citing allegations of torture and ill-treatment. Amnesty International has also documented arbitrary arrests, torture in detention centres and the treatment of protesters and activists in its reporting on Afghanistan.
