The in absentia trial of media officials by the Taliban is illegal and un-Islamic, says the Journalists’ Federation.
In a statement, the Afghan Journalists’ Federation and media organizations have labeled the recent remarks by the head of the Taliban government’s media oversight regarding the in absentia trial of media officials as illegal and un-Islamic.
Abdul Haq Hammad, head of the media oversight department in the Ministry of Information and Culture of the Taliban government, stated in an interview with the state news agency Bakhtar on Monday, the 12th of the new month, that the issue of media outlets that promote against the Taliban regime has been referred to the court.
He said the court will decide on these media outlets in the coming days.
The Journalists’ Federation has written that in Islam, an in absentia trial is only permissible in cases of rights violation. In no other situation is an in absentia trial allowed in Islam. International human rights laws also recognize this process only in cases of rights violation. Any action by the Taliban in this regard is un-Islamic and illegal because there is no clear instance of rights violation here.