Taliban leader authorises killing of 11 categories of people under new penal code

Taliban leader authorises killing of 11 categories of people under new penal code

Taliban supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada has authorised the killing of 11 categories of people under a newly endorsed Taliban penal code, granting himself sole authority to approve executions deemed necessary for what the movement describes as the “public interest”. Article 16 of the Taliban’s new penal code allows for “discretionary execution” (ta’zir by death) of individuals accused of a broad range of offences, including armed opposition …