AFGHANISTAN: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH BY TALIBAN COURT OVER ALLEGED BLASPHEMY

July 19, 2025:

A Taliban court in Afghanistan’s Paktika province has sentenced a man to death on charges of blasphemy, according to a spokesperson for the group.
Saif-ul-Islam Khyber, spokesperson for the Taliban’s Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, announced on July 17, 2025 that a man identified as Abdul Alim Khamoosh, a resident of Janikhel district, was arrested and sentenced by a primary court for allegedly insulting the Prophet of Islam and Islamic sanctities.
Khyber stated that the sentence followed an investigation by the court, which determined that the accused had committed a serious offence under the group’s interpretation of Islamic law.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the spokesperson referred to the offence as a “major sin,” stating that insulting religious values, weakening the spiritual unity of the Islamic community, and violating Sharia boundaries are considered severe crimes by the Taliban.
The group has not released further details regarding the judicial process, evidence presented, or whether the defendant had access to legal representation. The verdict has raised renewed concerns among rights groups over the use of capital punishment and the lack of transparency in the Taliban's legal system.