Recent reporting on the Taliban’s January 2026 criminal procedure code has generated widespread alarm, much of it understandable given Afghanistan’s broader legal and human rights context. However, several claims circulating in international coverage do not accurately reflect the wording, structure, or legal function of the document itself. A close reading of the original Pashto text suggests a need to distinguish carefully between what the law actually codifies and how it is being interpreted.
I write as an international humanitarian professional currently working in Afghanistan who speaks Pashto and has reviewed the original Pashto text of the January 2026 criminal procedure code. The document is deeply troubling in many respects, particularly in its consolidation of judicial discretion and erosion of procedural saf
Continue Reading on The Diplomat
This preview shows approximately 15% of the article. Read the full story on the publisher's website to support quality journalism.