Taliban welcomes Russia’s suspension of ban as "legal milestone"

The Taliban has described the suspension of its ban in Russia as an important legal step.

Thus, Taliban government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid told the Russian news agency that the move was a positive development for relations between Afghanistan and Russia, Caliber.Az reports.

"We believe that all measures in this regard, aimed at strengthening relations between Afghanistan and Russia, are a good step. These measures will help reinforce ties between the two countries and their peoples and are seen as a highly valuable step," he said.

Note that, Russia’s Prosecutor General’s Office has requested a temporary suspension of the Taliban’s designation as a banned terrorist organisation.

The Supreme Court has accepted the legal claim and scheduled a closed-door hearing for April 17. The move follows legislation signed by President Vladimir Putin in December 2024, allowing such suspensions under certain conditions.

Leonid Slutsky, chair of the State Duma foreign affairs committee, said the change would enable official engagement with the Taliban, which governs Afghanistan. Under the new rules, courts may lift bans if the prosecutor general presents evidence that a group has ceased terrorist activities and propaganda. Any ruling must be sent to the FSB within five days to update the national terrorist registry.

The Taliban has been classified as a terrorist organisation in Russia since 2003. However, Moscow has increasingly sought diplomatic and economic ties with its government.

By Aghakazim Guliyev