In a move that has stunned the world, the Taliban has enacted a sweeping new Criminal Procedure Code that critics slam as a green light for slavery and a shield for religious leaders. Signed into effect on January 4, 2026, by supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, this 119-article decree is ripping through Afghanistans already fragile social fabric, prioritizing mullahs over everyone else.

Right at its core, Article 9 carves Afghan society into four unequal tiers: top-tier ulama (religious scholars), elites known as ashraf, the middle rung, and the bottom-dwelling lower class. Picture this: the same crime lands a mullah with a gentle talking-to, while a poor laborer gets thrown in jail and flogged raw. Rights monitors like Rawadari label it a codified hierarchy that trashes any pretense of equal justice, hitting the vulnerable hardest in a nation reeling from years of conflict.

The real jaw-dropper? Scattered references to ghulam – thats slave in Pashto and Dari – and rules splitting punishments between free folks and slaves, like in Article 15. This isnt some dusty footnote; its viewed as straight-up legalizing human bondage, flying in the face of global treaties that outlawed it decades ago. Think forced labor for debtors or captives – especially women and kids – now potentially rubber-stamped by courts, fueling fears of rampant exploitation in Taliban strongholds.

Defendants are stripped bare: no right to a lawyer, no staying quiet, no payout if wrongly convicted. Judges rule on confessions and witnesses alone, with vague bans on dancing or corrupt gatherings opening the door to brutal floggings and whims. Its a throwback to the Talibans 1990s reign, where torture extracted truth and power trumped fairness, experts warn.

Afghan resistance groups are calling it a medieval penal code akin to a caste system, urging the UN to slap it down hard. Since 2021, the Taliban has choked womens rights and free speech, but this cements cleric immunity, risking total isolation as aid dries up. For ordinary Afghans, its simple terror: your social rank now writes your sentence. Will this ignite quiet revolts or desperate flights? One things clear – compassions not on the agenda.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from India Today.