HRW slams ‘ruthless’ Taliban as new law bans protest

At least two people were killed in June when security forces allegedly opened fire on a women's rights protest in the western city of Herat, a group of U.N. experts said.(AFP) — Human Rights Watch on Thursday criticized what it called a “ruthless effort to suppress all dissent” by the Taliban government after a new police law banned demonstrations across Afghanistan.The 84-page legislation published by the Justice Ministry outlines a series of changes to law enforcement nationwide, including a rule stating that “all types of protests are banned.”Elaine Pearson, Asia director for Human Rights Watch, said the measure is “another step in the Taliban’s ruthless effort to suppress all dissent.”“The Taliban authorities fear any dissent and so they are escalating their repression,” she said in a statement to AFP.The Afghan government did not respond to AFP’s requests for comment on the protest ban, which was made public this month.Demonstrations have been rare during the Taliban administration’s five years in power. At least two people were killed in June when security forces allegedly opened fire on a women’s rights protest in the western city of Herat, a group of U.N. experts said.Amnesty International described the police law as “another sweeping assault on human rights in Afghanistan,” with the protest ban “among its most egregious provisions.”The new law also extends detention without charge from three days to 10 days, or longer by court order.This month, the intelligence agency detained two U.N. employees for 11 days without providing a reason.In a country where corporal punishment is used for a range of crimes, the police legislation tells officers they cannot hit prisoners with weapons such as sticks or wires without a court order.They can, however, use force to compel a suspect to repent and are also allowed to use anger, according to the legislation.Subscribe to our free newslettersOur weekly newsletter Closing Arguments offers the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world, while the monthly Under the Lights dishes the legal dirt from Hollywood, sports, Big Tech and the arts.Additional Reads