Russia considers lifting Taliban ban, Court to hear case in April

In mid-April, the Russian Supreme Court will deliberate on a lawsuit filed by the Prosecutor General's Office seeking to suspend the ban on the activities of the Taliban movement in Russia.

The case, which has drawn significant attention, will be heard on April 17 at 14:00 Moscow time, and the proceedings are set to be held behind closed doors, Caliber.Az reports citing Russian media.

The lawsuit involves an administrative claim by the Prosecutor General's Office to temporarily lift the Taliban’s inclusion on Russia’s federal list of terrorist organizations. This list includes both foreign and international groups recognized as terrorist entities under Russian law.

The legal backdrop for this development stems from a law signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin in December 2023, which allows for the possibility of excluding the Taliban from the list of banned terrorist organizations. The law permits a temporary suspension of the ban by court decision if there is evidence that the group, after being listed, has ceased activities promoting terrorism, such as propaganda or justification of violent acts.

Should the court grant the suspension, the Taliban would be removed from the list of terrorist organizations once the decision becomes legally binding.

This case is significant as it signals a shift in Russia's stance towards the Taliban, which has been a controversial issue since the group's return to power in Afghanistan in 2021. It remains to be seen how the court will rule on this high-profile matter, with potential geopolitical implications for Russia’s relations in the region.

By Vafa Guliyeva