Taliban Free 72 Prisoners in Northern Afghanistan, Excluding Political Detainees

Taliban Free 72 Prisoners in Northern Afghanistan, Excluding Political Detainees
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The Taliban have released 72 prisoners from a jail in Afghanistan’s northern Sar-e-Pul province, while reducing the sentences of 95 others, local sources told Amu News Agency. The sources said, however, that political prisoners and individuals accused of spreading “propaganda” against the Taliban were not included in the releases.

A relative of one inmate said most of those freed were affiliated with the Taliban, while detainees held for political reasons remain in custody. “None of the political prisoners were released,” the relative said, speaking anonymously for security reasons. The Taliban have not issued a public statement regarding the move.

The reported release comes amid growing international criticism of the Taliban’s human rights record. The U.S. State Department’s 2024 Human Rights Report described the group’s rule as an “institutionalized structure of repression” targeting women, girls, and critics — potentially amounting to crimes against humanity.

Reports from UN experts and rights organizations, including Richard Bennett and Human Rights Watch, have documented enforced disappearances, arbitrary detentions, and other abuses under Taliban rule. Bennett said he received testimonies from victims and witnesses, including human rights defenders and women protesters, detailing these violations.