Afghanistan: Taliban Crack Down on Ashura, Dozens of Shia Detained

KABUL (Terror Monitor) — A Shia Hazara deputy minister serving in the Taliban administration has publicly criticized Taliban Justice Minister Sheikh Abdul Hakim Sharie for the alleged mistreatment of Afghanistan's Shia community, accusing him of exceeding his authority amid reported restrictions on Ashura commemorations.

According to Afghanistan International and the U.S.-based Amu TV, Deputy Minister Madar Ali Karimi Bamiyani addressed a gathering of Shia mourners in Kabul on June 25, where he apologized to Afghanistan's Hazara and Shia communities on behalf of Taliban Prime Minister Mullah Hassan Akhund.

"If our silence has been interpreted as weakness or fear, you are mistaken. Our people do not fear," Karimi said.

He also criticized Justice Minister Sheikh Abdul Hakim Sharie, saying he was acting beyond the scope of his office.

"He is the Minister of Justice, not the Minister for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, nor the Minister of Hajj and Religious Affairs, nor the Minister of Information and Culture to oversee religious and cultural affairs," he stated.

Although Karimi did not specify particular actions, Amu TV cited local sources as saying officials from the Ministry of Justice detained 20 to 25 Shia individuals in Kabul for several days for installing Ashura flags and banners.

Reports also indicate that the Taliban imposed extensive restrictions on Ashura observances in the western province of Herat.

According to the local newspaper Hasht-e Subh, Taliban authorities prohibited Muharram 9 and Ashura processions, banned chest-beating, self-flagellation, and public displays of flags and banners, allowing only limited gatherings on the day of Ashura.

Meanwhile, the Taliban suspended broadcasts of Tamadon TV, a private television channel serving Afghanistan's Shia community, ahead of Ashura.

The newspaper Etilaat Roz reported that the heavy deployment of Taliban forces in Kabul appeared aimed more at monitoring mourners and preventing collective or protest activities than ensuring their security.

Amu TV further reported that Taliban officials entered a Shia mosque in Bamiyan Province during a Muharram ceremony, where they delivered speeches in support of the Taliban government and criticized certain media outlets.

Afghan Shia citizens and opposition groups have repeatedly accused the Taliban of restricting Ashura and other Shia religious observances, while Taliban authorities maintain that the measures are necessary security precautions.