Afghanistan
2026
- GOVERNMENT
- theocracy
- CONSTITUTION
- new, signed on January 16, 2004 (based on the one from 1964); suspended by the Taliban in 2021
- LEGAL SYSTEM
- the Taliban are applying their interpretation of Islamic law, which is partly based on the Hanafi school of Islamic jurisprudence
- LEGISLATIVE SYSTEM
- the Taliban government has not announced the formation of a legislative body
- JUDICIAL SYSTEM
- Supreme Court and many provincial courts, religious courts and specialized courts
RELIGIONS
Muslim 99.7% (Sunnis 84.7 - 89.7%, Shia 10 - 15%), other <0.3% (2009 est.)
From the country
- NOVEMBER 11, 2008AfghanistanDEATH PENALTY
AFGHAN MPS SAY DEATH PENALTY REDUCES CRIME
Afghani television reported various MPs claims that capital punishment reduced crime.
- NOVEMBER 8, 2008AfghanistanDEATH PENALTY
AFGHAN GOVERNMENT EXECUTES THREE FOR MURDER
the Afghan government executed three men for crimes including murder, the state broadcaster announced.
OCTOBER 29, 2008IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: JUVENILE HANGED FOR MURDER
the judicial branch of Isfahan province in Iran announced it had carried out that morning the death sentence of Gholamreza H., an Afghan national convicted of murder.
- OCTOBER 21, 2008AfghanistanDEATH PENALTY
AFGHAN REPORTER'S DEATH SENTENCE REPLACED WITH 20 YEARS
An Afghan appeal court overturned the death sentence of a young reporter accused of insulting Islam
- OCTOBER 9, 2008AfghanistanDEATH PENALTY
LAWYER DEMANDS RELEASE FOR AFGHAN REPORTER ON DEATH ROW
the lawyer of an Afghan reporter sentenced to death on blasphemy charges accused authorities of holding his client beyond a legal deadline, as the young man neared a full year in detention.
- OCTOBER 9, 2008AfghanistanDEATH PENALTY
AFGHANISTAN: URGENT NEED FOR ABOLITION ALSO CONCERNS JOURNALISTS
on the eve of the 6th World Day Against the Death Penalty, Reporters Without Borders...
- AUGUST 9, 2008AfghanistanDEATH PENALTY
AFGHAN DAILY URGES GOVERNMENT TO PUNISH CRIMINALS ACCORDING TO SHARI'AH
in an editorial, the independent Afghan newspaper Cheragh urged the government to punish criminals according to Shari’ah law.
- AUGUST 4, 2008NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
29 NIGERIANS ESCAPE DEATH SENTENCE IN THAILAND, AFGHANISTAN
twenty-nine Nigerians, condemned to death in Thailand and Afghanistan for drug-related offences, had their sentences commuted to prison terms.
- JULY 24, 2008AfghanistanDEATH PENALTY
AFGHANISTAN: WATCHDOG CALLS FOR SPEEDY TRIAL OF DEATH SENTENCE JOURNALIST
Reporters Without Borders called for the release of Afghan journalist Sayed Perwiz Kambakhsh, aged 23, who was sentenced to death for "blasphemy" six months ago.
- JULY 10, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
Iran hanged four people convicted of murder...
Iran hanged four people convicted of murder...
- JULY 8, 2008AfghanistanDEATH PENALTY
hundreds of Afghan journalists and writers...
hundreds of Afghan journalists and writers...
- JUNE 1, 2008AfghanistanDEATH PENALTY
AFGHANISTAN. COURT SENDS DEATH SENTENCE JOURNALIST TO HOSPITAL
Afghanistan's appeal court referred a reporter sentenced to death on blasphemy charges