Taliban Courts: Where Justice is Bought and Sold with Bribes

Reports indicate that financial corruption and bribery have systematically spread in Taliban courts. Changing court rulings, issuing divorce permits, or confiscating land in favor of Taliban officials is possible for payments ranging from $7,000 to $10,000. This situation has caused widespread concern among the Afghan people.

Bribery: From Rulings to Property Seizure

Intermediaries linked to Taliban judges receive large sums of money to manipulate court proceedings, reduce or increase prison sentences, issue divorce decrees, and even confiscate land in favor of Taliban officials. According to available information, these bribes range between 500,000 to 700,000 Afghanis (approximately $7,000 to $10,000). This blatant corruption has forced many Afghan citizens to pay bribes to avoid judicial complications and secure their rights.

Reasons Behind the Rise in Corruption in Taliban Courts

Several factors contribute to the rise of this corruption, including:

Lack of public awareness about judicial laws and limited access to legal information.

The absence of affordable lawyers and the high cost of legal representation.

Public ignorance about police reports, which are used as case evidence.

The appointment of inexperienced and unqualified judges in the Taliban judicial system.

Fear among people of biased and unjust rulings.

Taliban’s Efforts to Control Corruption or Mere Cover-Up?

Corruption in Taliban courts has become so blatant that the group occasionally issues statements declaring bribery “forbidden” and promising action against offenders. However, the Afghan public believes that the root cause of this corruption lies in the ignorant and greedy judges operating under the Taliban’s rule.

As this situation continues, the question arises: Will the Taliban be able to establish justice in their judicial system, or will corruption in their courts turn into a broader crisis?