List of decrees by Hibatullah Akhundzada

Afghanistan is an Islamic theocratic emirate ruled by the Taliban movement, in which the supreme leader's word is law and religious doctrine. Supreme leaders issue decrees from isolation in Kandahar, which are the ultimate source of all law. There is a process for the drafting of legislation, initiated by the relevant cabinet ministry and then screened by the Ministry of Justice for approval by the supreme leader. This process exists only to assist the supreme leader and he regularly enacts law without it. The formality of the process varies, but any order from the supreme leader becomes law once he speaks it, so all that are conveyed to the public by Taliban representatives are listed here regardless of whether there is a written decree. Hibatullah Akhundzada has been supreme leader since the Taliban took control of the government in August 2021, and he has issued a large number of decrees, many of which have imposed his cultural views, ultraconservative even by Taliban standards, on the country with no opportunity for public consultation.[1][2][3][4]

List

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Date promulgated Description Text/quote Ref.
7 September 2021 Appointment of caretaker cabinet led by Hasan Akhund. [1] [5]
3 December 2021 Outlines the civil rights of women, including marriage and property rights, and instructs the Ministry of Hajj and Religious Affairs, the Ministry of Information and Culture, the Supreme Court, and provincial and district governors to implement them. [2] [6]
11 January 2022 Creates a Kandahar ulama council to address provincial issues. In reality Akhundzada has since been consulting it on matters of national importance. [3] [7][8]
3 April 2022 Bans the production of opium and all other narcotics. [4] [9]
7 May 2022 Orders women to only leave their homes when necessary, and to fully cover their bodies when they do, preferably with a burqa, and approves punishments for male guardians of women violating the order. [5] [10]
20 May 2022 Bans Taliban members from taking multiple wives. [6] [11]
22 June 2022 Announces death toll of the June 2022 Afghanistan earthquake and orders response efforts. [7] [12]
21 July 2022 Bans criticism of the regime (referred to euphemistically as "false accusations"). [8] [13]
4 August 2022 Nullifies the 1964 Constitution of Afghanistan and the 2004 Constitution of Afghanistan. [14]
13 November 2022 Orders judges to implement corporal punishments for all Hudud and Qisas offenses. [9] [15][16]
11 January 2023 Creates Ulema councils in 13 provinces to manage local issues. [10][11] [17]
22 January 2023 Appointment of Mohammad Esa Thani as Acting Minister of Public Works. [18]
29 January 2023 Appointment of Hanif Abada as Chief of Police of Ghor Province and Qari Gul Haider as Deputy Governor of Ghazni Province. [12] [19]
18 March 2023 Prohibits the cultivation of hemp and cannabis and orders the Ministry of Interior Affairs to bring violators to court. Mandates the destruction of crops and orders courts to punish violators. [13] [20]
19 March 2023 Prohibits government officials from hiring relatives. Applies retroactively so that any relatives already hired must be fired. [21]
Orders destruction of all seized drugs and alcohol and the tools used to make them, and orders punishment of producers and sellers. Directs the Ministry of Interior Affairs, the General Directorate of Intelligence, and the Ministry of Public Health to implement the order before the courts. [14]
19 April 2023 Eid al-Fitr message. Outlines codes of conduct for judges and security forces. [15] [22]
17 May 2023 Temporary appointment of Abdul Kabir as Acting Prime Minister of Afghanistan while Hasan Akhund was recovering from an illness in Kandahar. Hasan Akhund returned to Kabul on 17 July. [16] [23][24]
4 July 2023 Bans hair and beauty salons, effective in one month. [17] [25]

References

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  1. ^ Kraemer, Thomas (27 November 2022). "Afghanistan dispatch: Taliban leaders issue new orders on law-making process, enforcement of court orders from previous government". JURIST. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
  2. ^ Watkins, Andrew (17 August 2022). "One Year Later: Taliban Reprise Repressive Rule, but Struggle to Build a State". United States Institute of Peace. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
  3. ^ Dawi, Akmal (12 January 2023). "Can Western Diplomats Deter Taliban from Bad Policies?". Voice of America. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
  4. ^ Abubakar, Siddique (22 January 2023). "Taliban Leader's Dominance Results In Increased Oppression, Isolation". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Retrieved 29 January 2023.
  5. ^ "Hardliners get key posts in new Taliban government". BBC News. 7 September 2021. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
  6. ^ "Taliban's Supreme Leader Issues Decree on Women's Rights". TOLOnews. 3 December 2021. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
  7. ^ آزادی, رادیو (11 January 2022). منبع: رهبر طالبان دستور داده تا شورای علما در کندهار ایجاد شود [Source: The leader of the Taliban has ordered the creation of a council of scholars in Kandahar]. Radio Azadi (in Dari). Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
  8. ^ Oxford Analytica (10 March 2023). "Senior Afghan Taliban figures move to curb leader". Expert Briefings. Emerald Expert Briefings. doi:10.1108/OXAN-DB276639. [Akhundzada] has not convened the Taliban's Leadership Council (a 'politburo' of top leaders and commanders) for several months. Instead, he relies on the narrower Kandahar Council of Clerics for legal advice.
  9. ^ Gul, Ayaz (3 April 2022). "Taliban Ban Opium Poppy Cultivation in Afghanistan". Voice of America. Islamabad, Pakistan. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
  10. ^ Hadid, Diaa (7 May 2022). "The Taliban orders women to wear head-to-toe clothing in public". NPR. Islamabad, Pakistan. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
  11. ^ TOLOnews [@TOLOnews] (20 May 2022). "A new decree of the supreme leader of the Islamic Emirate Mawlawi Hibatullah Akhundzada instructed the members of the Islamic Emirate to avoid two, three or four marriages, which are not necessary and expensive" (Tweet). Retrieved 29 January 2023 – via Twitter.
  12. ^ "At least 1,000 killed after strong earthquake jolts Afghanistan". Al Jazeera. 22 June 2022. Archived from the original on 22 June 2022. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
  13. ^ Scollon, Michael (27 July 2022). "'Open Fear': Taliban Cracks Down On Afghan Media By Decree". Radio Azadi.
  14. ^ Abdul Ghafoor Saboori (4 August 2022). "Parwan Governor, Citing Supreme Leader, Says Previous Constitution Invalid". TOLOnews. Retrieved 29 January 2023.
  15. ^ "Taliban confirm first floggings since supreme leader's edict". Agence France-Presse. Kabul. 23 November 2022. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
  16. ^ Kruger, Liv (14 November 2022). "Taliban leader: Afghanistan judges must enforce Shariah punishments". JURIST. University of Pittsburgh School of Law. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
  17. ^ Adib, Fatima (11 January 2023). "Clerics Council Formed in 13 Provinces". TOLOnews. Retrieved 29 January 2023.
  18. ^ Zazai, Noorullah (23 January 2023). "Thani takes charge as acting public works minister". Pajhwok Afghan News. Kabul. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
  19. ^ Mujahid, Zabihullah [@Zabehulah_M33] (29 January 2023). د عالیقدر امیرالمؤمنین حفظه الله د حکم په اساس لاندې ټاکنې وشوې [On the basis of the order of His Highness Amirul Momineen Hufzallah, the following appointments were made] (Tweet) (in Pashto). Retrieved 29 January 2023 – via Twitter.
  20. ^ Guler, Bilal (19 March 2023). "Taliban ban cannabis cultivation in Afghanistan". Andalou Agency. Kabul. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  21. ^ Horti, Samuel (19 March 2023). "Taliban officials must sack sons given government jobs". BBC News. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  22. ^ "Reclusive Taliban leader releases end-of-Ramadan message". Associated Press. Islamabad, Pakistan. 18 April 2023. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  23. ^ Mohammad Farshad Daryosh (17 May 2023). "Mawlawi Kabir Appointed Acting PM As Mullah Hassan Akhund is Ill: Mujahid". TOLOnews. Retrieved 17 May 2023.
  24. ^ Adeeb, Fatema (9 September 2023). "Prime Minister's Absence From Meetings Raises Questions". TOLOnews. Retrieved 18 September 2023.
  25. ^ Yong, Nicholas (4 July 2023). "Taliban order Afghanistan's hair and beauty salons to shut". BBC News. Retrieved 4 July 2023.