A religious scholar was sentenced to eight months in prison by a Taliban court in the southern province of Helmand, local sources said on Monday.
Bashir Ahmad Hanafi, a graduate of Al-Azhar University in Cairo and a well-known religious figure in the province, was also barred from traveling abroad for two years, the sources told Amu. The Taliban court issued the travel ban in addition to the prison sentence.
While the exact reason for his arrest has not been publicly disclosed, Hanafi had recently given an interview in which he discussed the Islamic concepts of bay’ah (allegiance) and leadership — topics that may have drawn the attention of Taliban authorities.
According to sources, Hanafi is regarded as an influential cleric in southern Afghanistan. He founded a religious seminary in Helmand and has also opened cafés and restaurants in Helmand and Kandahar in an effort to provide spaces for young people.
His sentencing has triggered a wave of public criticism, sources said. Supporters have condemned the Taliban’s decision and called for his immediate release, as well as permission for him to travel to Egypt to pursue a master’s degree.
Taliban have not issued an official statement on the case.
