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Decree Archive

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Type of Decree
Delivery Method

Taliban Leader Order

An authoritative command issued directly by the Amir al-Mu’minin (Leader of the Taliban), often in the form of a legislative or executive order. These are legally binding and apply broadly across the regime. They can be written or verbal.

Official Decree (Written or Verbal)

An official decree is a formal and binding statement issued by high-ranking leaders or institutions within the Taliban regime, including the Amir al-Mu’minin. These decrees outline specific legal, political, or social mandates and must be implemented without exception. They may be delivered in writing or verbally—including through meetings, sermons, official statements, or media communications. Verbal decrees, while unwritten, carry the same legal authority as written ones and are considered binding across all Taliban institutions, which are obligated to carry them out through formal and administrative action. A key distinction between a decree and an order lies in scope: a decree enforces a specific issue, while an order tends to address broader or general matters. Both are legally obligatory.

Written Directive

A published document outlining the Taliban regime's stance on significant matters, such as international relations and domestic policy. Officially communicated and issued by the leader of the Taliban or through Taliban representatives and institutions through formal media and authorized channels. For instance, the official statement of the Islamic Emirate rejecting the report of the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights regarding the situation of women.

Verbal Directive

A verbal directive or instruction from Taliban leadership or senior officials, typically communicated in meetings or speeches without written documentation. These are binding despite the lack of formal record. These directives are typically communicated through meetings, speeches, telephone conversations, or quotations attributed to high-ranking Taliban figures

Written Order

A general legal order from the Taliban leader regarding the implementation of a general matter. These orders are binding, applicable for defined or open-ended periods, and must be enforced throughout the regime.

Verbal Order

An oral order issued by the Taliban leader or officials concerning the implementation of either a specific or general matter. These orders are considered legally enforceable and must be followed.

Enforcement Action

An Enforcement Action refers to the implementation or carrying out of Taliban decrees, directives, or orders. These actions reflect how the regime enforces its laws in practice and may include public punishments, arrests, detentions, or administrative measures taken against individuals or groups. This category includes official announcements of punishments issued by the Taliban Supreme Court, as well as reports of enforcement carried out by Taliban soldiers, police, or local authorities. These actions demonstrate how legal directives are applied on the ground and provide insight into the regime’s mechanisms of control and discipline.

Draft Bill

A proposed law or legal reform circulated by Taliban authorities and institutions before final approval or implementation. Often used to signal upcoming legal changes or policy directions. This form of communication is typically conveyed through mass media. Examples include a press release announcing the suspension of a media outlet’s activities or a public notice mandating compliance with the school uniform policy by students.

Media Statement

A formal message or response from Taliban officials provided directly to media outlets to clarify a position, policy, or action. Examples could include a press release announcing the suspension of a media outlet’s activities or a public notice mandating compliance with the school uniform policy by students.

Official Gazette

A published record of official decrees, orders, or legal decisions issued by the regime, used for formal documentation and legal reference.

Official Letter

A written communication issued by the ministries and administrative bodies of the Emirate, based on formal or informal commands from the leader of the Taliban or as determined necessary by the leadership of relevant departments. These letters contain official instructions or orders related to the execution, regulation, or prohibition of specific matters and are typically used for local enforcement or administrative implementation.

Official Notice

A brief formal communication announcing changes in rules or expectations, typically posted in public places or distributed to institutions like schools or mosques.

Social Media

A platform used by Taliban spokespersons or institutions to announce, justify, or promote decisions and decrees, including channels like Twitter or WhatsApp.

Survivor Testimony

A personal public account from individuals affected by Taliban decrees or punishments, often used as secondary documentation when primary sources are unavailable.

Fatwa (Mosque Announcement/Fatwa)

A method of official communication used by Taliban-aligned clerics and institutions of the Emirate regime to disseminate religious rulings or interpretations based on Islamic law. These are often delivered during mosque sermons, religious gatherings, or public events and may reflect decisions, policies, or enforcement directives issued by the leadership. This form of communication is typically conveyed through oral announcements but may also be shared via media. Fatwas serve as authoritative guidance and are considered binding under Taliban rule.

Official Announcement

A formal public statement issued by Taliban institutions to communicate new decisions, rules, or enforcement actions—often disseminated via radio, television, or newspapers.

Official Guide

A detailed instructional document produced by Taliban institutions outlining how a particular law, decree, or religious rule should be interpreted or applied in practice.

Official Meeting

A closed or semi-public gathering in which Taliban officials convey directives, discuss enforcement, or issue verbal orders to subordinates or community leaders.

Phone Call

An informal but authoritative communication channel used by Taliban officials to issue direct instructions or relay enforcement demands in real-time.

Speech

An address by Taliban leaders or officials—often during religious or political events—that conveys binding directives, ideological messages, or policy announcements.

UN Letter

A communication between the United Nations and the Taliban, often documenting international concerns, violations, or requests—sometimes included as evidence in lieu of original decrees.

Media Report

An external journalistic account of Taliban activity, decree enforcement, or policy, often based on public statements, observed events, or leaked information.

Official Declaration

A formal pronouncement made by Taliban ministries or leadership to declare policy positions or enforce actions, typically with legal or social implications.

Official Inquiry

A formal investigation or fact-finding mission initiated by the Taliban regime, sometimes resulting in follow-up enforcement or legal action.

Official Newsletter

A recurring publication from Taliban institutions summarizing recent actions, decrees, or enforcement policies for internal distribution or public awareness.

Press/News Conference

A public event during which Taliban officials speak to media representatives, announce new policies, or answer questions related to governance and law.

Supreme Court Newsletter

A bulletin issued by the Taliban’s Supreme Court containing legal interpretations, announcements of verdicts, and summaries of judicial enforcement actions.

Video Clip

A recorded video—often shared by the Taliban or captured by media—documenting a speech, enforcement action, or declaration, used as a form of indirect evidence or verification.

Filters

Area of Decree

  • Arbitrary Punishment
  • Assembly & Association
  • Cultural Rights
  • Disability Rights
  • Education
  • Expression
  • Family & Privacy Rights
  • Forced Marriage
  • Freedom of Movement
  • Gender Equality
  • Health
  • Justice & Fair Trial
  • LGBTQ+
  • Liberty & Security
  • Minority Rights
  • Non-Discrimination
  • Participation in Public Life
  • Personal Autonomy
  • Press & Censorship
  • PVPV
  • Religion & Belief
  • Torture & Ill-Treatment
  • Work & Livelihoods

Type of Decree

  • Enforcement Action
  • Official Decree
  • Report
  • Taliban Leader Order
  • Verbal Decree
  • Verbal Directive
  • Verbal Order
  • Written Decree
  • Written Directive
  • Written Order

Delivery Methods

  • Commitment Letter
  • Draft Bill
  • Fatwa
  • Handwritten Letter
  • Media Report
  • Media Statement
  • Official Announcement
  • Official Declaration
  • Official Gazette
  • Official Guide
  • Official Inquiry
  • Official Letter
  • Official Meeting
  • Official Notice
  • Official Records
  • Phone Call
  • Press Release
  • Press/News Conference
  • Speech
  • Supreme Court Announcement
  • Supreme Court Newsletter
  • Survivor Testimony
  • UN Letter
  • Video Clip

Targeted Gender

  • Both
  • Men
  • Women

Original Source

  • No
  • Yes

DEC3-12262023

Field trial and public shooting of a woman in Faryab province.

DEC3-12252023

The execution of punitive measures on more than two individuals in Badakhshan province for 'fleeing their homes'.

DEC7-12242023

Taliban in Khost have prohibited women from making phone calls to radio stations.

DEC11-12232023

Protesting women detained in Kabul.

DEC1-12222023

Taliban cabinet formalize nationwide ban on all female higher education, public and private.

DEC7-12142023

Taliban order to collect all books that contradict Hanafi jurisprudence from private universities.

DEC7-11222023

Taliban ban the use of women’s images in advertisements at hospitals in Takhar.

DEC7-11152023-A

Taliban order the covering of images on book covers in Herat.

DEC7-11152023-B

Banning publication of political, satirical, and music-related topics in Khost.

DEC3-11112023

The implementation of punitive measures on more than 25 individuals in Nimroz province.

DEC3-10092023

Execution of the punishment on more than two individuals, including one woman, in Bamyan province.

DEC11-09272023

Taliban detains women's rights activist Julia Parsi and her child from their home in Kabul.

DEC4-09122023

Removal of women's names from the board of directors and charters of domestic and foreign organizations.

DEC8-08262023

The Taliban barred women from entering Band-e-Amir National Park in Bamiyan.

DEC10-08202023

Directive mandating mosque attendance, banning music in celebratory gatherings, and threatening legal action for noncompliance with religious norms.

DEC3-08172023

The execution of disciplinary punishment on over 19 individuals took place in Sar-e Pol province.

DEC3-08072023-A

The execution of disciplinary punishment on more than four individuals in Faryab province.

DEC3-08072023-B

The public sentencing of four individuals, including one woman, to corporal punishment for adultery and sodomy, in Faryab province.

DEC10-07192023

Taliban burned musical instruments in several provinces, including Herat.

DEC3-07132023

Implementation of a punitive sentence on over four individuals, including one woman, was carried out in the Paghman district of Kabul province.

DEC10-07112023-A

Taliban tear down Ashura flags of Shia mourners in Herat province.

DEC10-07112023-B

Taliban enforcement restricts Shia religious rituals.

DEC10-07092023

Taliban ban music in wedding halls in Kabul.

DEC2-06262023

The closure of women’s beauty salons across the country.

DEC2-06202023

The ban on female employees in migration aid organizations in Kandahar.

DEC8-06152023

Directive banning music at weddings, restricting male access to women’s halls, and mandating hijab surveillance.

DEC6-06102023

Taliban's increasing restrictions on women in Afghanistan have increased forced marriage and child marriage.

DEC6-06092023

Taliban orders the registration of young girls and widows for forced marriage to Taliban members.

DEC10-06062023

Banned music at wedding halls in Herat, warning of punishment for violators.

DEC4-05312023

Taliban issues directive banning Persian terms and mandating ideological conformity in university research and teaching.