MOSCOW, Apr 16: The Russian Supreme Court is expected to deliver its verdict on Thursday regarding an appeal filed by the Prosecutor General’s Office, seeking to lift the ban on the Afghan Taliban. This move signals a step towards possible diplomatic recognition of the Taliban regime in Kabul.
Russia had designated the Afghan Taliban as a terrorist organization in 2003. However, Prosecutor General Igor Krasnov recently petitioned the Supreme Court to remove this designation. A closed-door hearing will take place on Thursday to discuss the matter.
In May last year, the Russian Foreign Ministry and the Ministry of Justice recommended to President Vladimir Putin that the Taliban be removed from the list of banned terrorist organizations. This step was seen as necessary for formal diplomatic recognition of the Taliban government, which has controlled Kabul since the US withdrawal in August 2021.
Several of Afghanistan’s Central Asian neighbors have already established official relations with the Taliban. However, Russian Presidential envoy on Afghanistan, Zamir Kabulov, previously stated that full diplomatic recognition would not be granted until the Taliban meets certain international conditions, including the formation of an inclusive government and the protection of basic human rights, particularly for women.
