Bennett: Taliban “Preachers’ Law” Contradicts Human Rights Standards

 

Tawazon – Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan, says that the Taliban newly published law on “religious preachers” contradicts international law and human rights standards.

In a statement on X on Wednesday, April 29, Bennett said that the law has been officially released and has raised concerns about discrimination based on religion, in favor of followers of the Hanafi school of jurisprudence.

He stressed that human rights protect religious and ethnic minorities, and any law that promotes ethnic and religious discrimination goes against international principles.

Bennett said that further legal reviews and detailed analysis of this law are still ongoing.

This comes as human rights situation in Afghanistan, particularly religious freedoms, continue to face significant challenges and restrictions since the Taliban’s returned to power.

Previously, Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada approved the law and stated that preachers must be Muslim and followers of the Hanafi school.