Afghanistan: Taliban abolishes Attorney General’s Office

Kabul [Afghanistan]: The Taliban have abolished the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) and turned it into the “Directorate of Supervision and Prosecution of Decrees and Orders”, reported TOLO News on Tuesday.

Moreover, according to the decision of the Taliban leader, some of the AGO’s duties have been given to the courts and intelligence services. Taliban’s spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said that the purpose of abolishing the AGO is to prevent the congestion of departments, according to TOLO News.

Mujahid said that the “Directorate of Supervision and Prosecution of Decrees and Orders” will monitor the implementation of the Taliban’s leader’s orders in both public and private institutions.

“Too much bureaucracy should be avoided, which is why the intelligence agencies also have the authority to monitor and can watch over the implementation of orders. Second, in the courts, if there is a disputed case of the people, it will be handled by lawyers, and if the system has its disputes it will proceed through its own channels in whatever way things can be done best,” Mujahid said.

According to some legal experts, justice will not be properly implemented in the nation by restricting the Attorney General’s Office’s (AGO) authority, reported TOLO News.

Abdul Shukor Dadras, a legal expert said, “The supervision of discovery and investigation has been removed, the litigation has been removed; therefore, the Attorney General’s Office as a department for monitoring and prosecuting the orders and directions of the Taliban, has limited authority.”

Mujahid added that this institution will have representation in 34 provinces of the country.
“Its structure and methodology both changed but the staff has remained the same. The same force that had been employed at the Attorney General’s Office will be employed at the Directorate of Supervision,” he said.

According to the decision, the responsibility and stages of investigation, supervision and prosecution of legal and criminal cases have been entrusted to the courts and the Intelligence Directorate. TOLO News reported.

“The supervision of discovery and investigation has been removed, the litigation has been removed; therefore, the Attorney General’s Office as a department for monitoring and prosecuting the orders and directions of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, has limited authority,” said Abdul Shukor Dadras, a legal expert.

Earlier, members of the Afghan Independent Bar Association (AIBA) claimed that the Taliban had shut down the association’s Kabul headquarters and had halted all activities.