KABUL, Afghanistan — Taliban said on Saturday that 2,463 inmates have been released from prisons across the country, following a decree issued by their leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada, in honor of Eid al-Fitr.
The announcement was made by the Taliban’s Supreme Court, which added that prison terms for an additional 3,152 individuals had been reduced as part of the holiday gesture. No further details were provided about the charges or sentences faced by those released.
The mass amnesty comes amid mounting criticism from international human rights organizations, which have accused the Taliban of detaining individuals on “baseless charges” and without due legal or judicial process since returning to power in 2021.
In a previous report published by Amu TV on October 10, 2024, Taliban officials confirmed that between 1,000 and 1,100 prisoners are currently on death row or awaiting Qisas — retribution sentences — under the group’s interpretation of Islamic law.
Rights groups have raised alarm over the opaque nature of the Taliban’s detention system and what they describe as the lack of fair trials and independent legal oversight. Detainees include activists, former security personnel, journalists, and individuals accused of moral or religious offenses.
Taliban have defended their legal system as being in accordance with Islamic principles, but they have yet to allow independent monitoring of prison conditions or the judicial process.
