Taliban To Institute Sharia Law as LGBTQ People Flee Afghanistan

A spokesman for the Taliban confirmed that Afghanistan will not remain a democracy, instead saying the country will likely be governed by a ruling council similar to the last time they were in power, sharia law, that would endanger women and LGBTQ citizens.

“There will be no democratic system at all because it does not have any base in our country,” Waheedullah Hashimi tells Reuters. “We will not discuss what type of political system should we apply in Afghanistan because it is clear. It is sharia law and that is it.”

A Taliban judge promised earlier this year that gay people will be prosecuted and executed by stoning or pushing a wall on top of them.

“For homosexuals, there can only be two punishments: either stoning, or he must stand behind a wall that will fall down on him. The wall must be two-and-a-half to three meters high (eight to 10 feet),” Judge Gul Rahim says.

Following the withdrawal of international troops from Afghanistan, the Taliban immediately took power, taking control of the government within 11 days. President Biden has taken criticism over his handling of the withdrawal, with many critics wondering why there weren’t additional plans in place to keep this from happening, especially at such a rapid pace. In addition, he’s being criticized for being ill-prepared for the resulting influx of refugees.

Now, thousands are attempting to flee the country, overrunning American flights and gathering en masse outside of embassies and other facilities.

According to Rainbow Railroad, an organization that helps LGBTQ refugees escape oppressive countries, Afghanistan is already not a safe place for queer people. “According to the U.S. State Department, public attitudes across the diversity of Afghan society towards LGBTQI+ people are extremely negative, which leads members of the LGBTQ+ community to keep their gender identity and sexual orientation a secret in fear of harassment, intimidation, persecution, and death. Now, with the return of the Taliban, there is understandable fear that the situation will worsen.”

Photo courtesy of Jan Chipchase