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
- MAY 20, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. AFGHAN NATIONAL HANGED FOR MURDER
Iran hanged an Afghan national convicted of murdering a woman in a prison in the central city
- MAY 18, 2008AfghanistanDEATH PENALTY
AFGHANISTAN. REPORTER FACING DEATH SENTENCE DENIES BLASPHEMY
an Afghan journalist sentenced to death on blasphemy charges pleaded not guilty during his appeal hearing that started in the capital Kabul.
- APRIL 21, 2008AfghanistanDEATH PENALTY
AFGHANISTAN. SIX AWARDED DEATH SENTENCE BY HELMAND COURT
the High court in the southern province of Helmand, a one time Taliban bastion in
- APRIL 21, 2008AfghanistanDEATH PENALTY
KARZAI REJECTS CALL TO END DEATH PENALTY BUT SAYS LIFE SENTENCING BETTER
Afghani President Hamid Karzai expressed reservations about imposing the death penalty but rejected calls to abolish capital punishment in his country.
- APRIL 20, 2008AfghanistanDEATH PENALTY
TALIBAN URGE UN TO BLOCK AFGHAN EXECUTIONS
Taliban insurgents urged the international community and right groups to stop Afghan President Hamid Karzai approving the execution of about 100 prisoners whose death sentences were approved by the Supreme Court.
- APRIL 16, 2008AfghanistanDEATH PENALTY
AFGHANISTAN. CONDEMNED JOURNALIST WINS RIGHT TO APPEAL DEATH SENTENCE
a young Afghan journalist, sentenced to death in January for spreading feminist
- APRIL 15, 2008AfghanistanDEATH PENALTY
AFGHANISTAN. SUPREME COURT ISSUES 100 DEATH SENTENCES
The Supreme Court of Afghanistan has in the past few weeks confirmed 100 death
- MARCH 27, 2008AfghanistanDEATH PENALTY
AFGHANISTAN: JOURNALIST UNDER DEATH SENTENCE MOVED TO KABUL AHEAD OF HIS APPEAL
Reporters Without Borders welcomed the transfer to Kabul ahead of his appeal hearing of young Afghan journalist Sayed Perwiz Kambakhsh, who has been sentenced to death.
- MARCH 7, 2008AfghanistanDEATH PENALTY
AFGHANISTAN. AFGHAN SOLDIER GETS DEATH PENALTY
a military court in Afghanistan, sentenced an Afghan soldier to death for killing a
- MARCH 4, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. TWO HANGED FOR MURDER
Iran hanged two men convicted of murder, one of them an Afghan, in
- FEBRUARY 25, 2008AfghanistanDEATH PENALTY
AFGHANISTAN. REPORTER DENIED ACCESS TO LAWYER
an Afghan reporter sentenced to death after downloading an article
- FEBRUARY 20, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
four convicted murderers were hanged in Tehran's Evin prison
four convicted murderers were hanged in Tehran's Evin prison