POLITICS — March 18, 2026
Taliban Supreme Court Announces Release of Over 4,500 Prisoners on Eid
The Taliban's Supreme Court announced the release of at least 4,596 prisoners and sentence reductions for 4,407 others on the order of leader Hibatullah Akhundzada for Eid. The decision followed reviews by a joint committee, amid UNAMA reporting over 17,000 people in Taliban prisons.
The Ehtebar Desk — originates with Afghanistan International — 2 min read
KABUL (Afghan Verified) - The Taliban's Supreme Court announced the release of at least 4,596 prisoners from facilities across Afghanistan on the order of leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, coinciding with Eid.
The court stated that sentence reductions were also granted to another 4,407 prisoners following reviews by a joint committee comprising representatives from the Ministry of Interior, Intelligence, Prisons Administration and the Presidency of Prosecution of Decrees and Orders. The announcement was made in a statement on Wednesday, 27 Hoot, with the prisoners freed from Taliban-run prisons in various provinces.
No details were provided on the mechanism for the releases or sentence reductions.
The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) reports that at least 17,000 people are currently imprisoned in Taliban facilities, with the number of those detained without court rulings unknown.
The releases mark a gesture during the Eid holiday, though the Taliban has not elaborated further on the criteria or categories of prisoners involved.
Read the original reporting at Afghanistan International →
Reliability assessment
Single source provides direct, on-record attribution from Taliban's Supreme Court (named entity) with concrete details including exact prisoner numbers (4,596 released, 4,407 reductions), named leader (Hibatullah Akhundzada), date (27 Hoot), and involved entities (joint committee ministries); qualifies as reliable per guidelines regardless of single source.
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Afghanistan International
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Politics — Taliban, Hibatullah Akhundzada, Supreme Court, prisoner release, Eid
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