The Taliban have announced that the ‘Law on the Review of Movable and Immovable Properties of Absent Persons’ has been promulgated by Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada, the group’s leader.
The Taliban’s Ministry of Justice (MoJ) stated on Monday, Jun 1, that the “Law on the Review of Movable and Immovable Properties of Absent Persons” consists of a preamble, four chapters, four sections, and 31 articles.
According to the Ministry of Justice’s statement, the law will be implemented by the department for the Review of Movable and Immovable Properties of Absent Persons, operating under the Taliban’s Deputy of the Supreme Court for Military Affairs.
The law states that transferring the properties of “sa’een bil-fasad” (opponents of the Taliban) or their benefits is conditional upon the order of the Taliban leader.
The new law also emphasizes that the properties of absent, missing, or deceased individuals will be transferred to the Taliban.
In another section, the law outlines provisions regarding the rental and sale of movable properties, tenants’ obligations, administrative procedures, conditions for the legal representation of absent persons, the validity of foreign power of attorney, and the transfer of collected revenues to the property owner.
Article 29 of the law states that the implementing authority is obliged to return private houses that were “illegally seized by individuals or official and unofficial institutions” before or after the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan to their original owners.
The Taliban announced the enforcement of this law at a time when, since their return to power in 2021, they have reportedly seized thousands of acres of residential land in Kabul and other cities across the country.
