Taliban

TEHRAN AND KABUL TRADE ACCUSATIONS OF RIGHTS VIOLATIONS

September 8, 2023:

The Taliban's foreign minister has criticised its leading economic ally and political supporter, Tehran, for the high number of executions in Iran, Farsi media reported. 
The Taliban itself is accused of systemic violation of human rights.
Last week, Amir Khan Muttaqi condemned Tehran for its violations of human rights and the high number of death penalties in Iran in response to last year's anti-establishment demonstrations.
"Those of you who always recommend that we have an inclusive government in Afghanistan, do you have such a government in your country?" Mottaqi said during a conference in Kabul, referring to demands made by Iranian officials.
Despite the extensive economic and political cooperation between Tehran and Kabul, Iran has yet to recognise the Taliban government. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian had previously said that the precondition for such recognition would be forming an "inclusive government" in Afghanistan.
"Do you recognise the rights of your citizens? The number of inmates we have in prisons is fewer than the number of people you execute," Mottaqi added.
After China, Iran has the highest number of annual executions worldwide, and in 2022, 582 people were executed by hanging.
No official data is available regarding the number of executions in Afghanistan, but in an August report, the UN said that since the Taliban takeover in August 2021, it had documented the extrajudicial killing of at least 218 military and government officials from the former government despite a nationwide pardon.