INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan&s (IEA) supreme leader Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada met judges in Kandahar and ordered them to carefully
investigate cases of robbery, kidnapping and sedition and to implement Hudud if Sharia conditions are fulfilled.Hudud punishment includes
amputation, flogging and the death penalty.The meeting took place in Kandahar on Saturday evening
Present at the meeting were the deputy chief of the IEA for the Supreme Court, the head of the military court, the Kandahar governor and
other officials from courts in the southern zone, according to a statement released by the IEA on Sunday.&The cases [involving] those
charged with robbery, kidnapping and sedition should be assessed thoroughly,& Mujahid said, quoting Akhundzada.&You are responsible to
implement the Hudud and Qisas (death penalty),& Akhundzada said adding &because this is the order of Sharia and it is my order, too, and it
is an obligation.&The IEA has reintroduced Sharia law and restrictions in the country since coming into power in August last year.Three
months ago, the IEA&s supreme leader stated that the government would deal with the international community in line with Sharia law.During a
meeting attended by about 3,000 scholars and IEA officials in Kandahar in August this year, Akhundzada stated: &We will deal with the
international community as per Islamic Sharia …if Sharia doesn&t allow it, we will not deal with any other country.&Restrictions on women
in particular have continued to be imposed
However, on Sunday Bilal Karimi, a deputy spokesman for the Islamic Emirate, said that the IEA respects all rights of women in accordance
with Islamic principles.This came in response to remarks by Rina Amiri, the US special representative for Afghan women, that the rights of
women and girls are protected now more than ever in the country and that the Islamic Emirate respects all their rights in accordance with
Islamic Sharia.&The Islamic Emirate is committed to protecting all the rights of women within the framework of Islam, and all the rights
that are for them in Islam will be protected,& said Karimi.This comes after the IEA&s Ministry of Vice and Virtue last week banned women
from entering amusement parks, sports clubs and public baths.The post IEA leader calls for judicial punishments to be in line with Sharia
law first appeared on Ariana News.
