The US Commission on International Religious Freedom has urged the US president and secretary of state to designate Afghanistan as a “Country of Particular Concern,” a move that could pave the way for broader sanctions against the Taliban.
Stephen Schneck, a commissioner with the body, told Afghanistan International that the Taliban’s newly introduced penal code raises “deep concern” and threatens religious freedom and human rights in Afghanistan.
According to Schneck, the document recognises only the Taliban’s interpretation of Hanafi Islam and marginalises other religions and sects.
He said the penal code justifies the killing of opponents, recognises slavery and criminalises certain behaviours, including dancing, provisions he described as inconsistent with international law.
The Taliban recently introduced a new penal code for courts under their control in Afghanistan. The document recognises slavery and prescribes the death penalty for opponents. It also includes punishments such as execution, flogging and amputation for various crimes.
Schneck said designating Afghanistan as a “Country of Particular Concern” could help facilitate wider sanctions against the Taliban, adding that the international community should respond in a coordinated manner.
He said the Taliban’s penal code accepts only the Hanafi interpretation of Islam and labels other Islamic traditions and sects as “innovation.” According to him, the document threatens freedom of belief and religious rights in Afghanistan and conflicts with fundamental principles of international law.
Schneck also said the Taliban’s treatment of women and girls, which he said is reinforced by the penal code, amounts to a form of slavery and constitutes a clear violation of international law.
