The Supreme Court of Russia has officially removed the Taliban movement from its list of extremist organizations, according to a report by RIA Novosti. The court granted the request of the Russian Prosecutor General’s Office during a closed session.
Judge Oleg Nefedov announced the decision, which takes immediate effect but remains subject to appeal.
The Prosecutor General’s Office based its appeal on legislative changes enacted in December 2024. These changes to the Code of Administrative Judicial Procedure and the Federal Law on combating terrorism now allow Russian authorities to suspend the ban on a terrorist organization if it has ceased activities aimed at promoting or supporting terrorism, particularly against Russian interests.
According to the Prosecutor General’s Office, evidence presented during the court hearing confirmed that the Taliban no longer engages in such activities, prompting the court to rule the claim as justified.
The Taliban was originally banned in Russia on February 14, 2003, due to alleged ties with armed groups involved in the conflict in Chechnya. However, Russia has engaged with Taliban representatives since the group’s return to power in Afghanistan in August 2021. Although Moscow has not formally recognized the Taliban-led government, officials have indicated interest in advancing cooperation.
In December 2024, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that the Taliban represented the legitimate government in Afghanistan and that Russia should “build relations appropriately, based on the existing reality.” The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Justice subsequently advised that the group could be removed from the banned list.
The Taliban remains under United Nations sanctions for its past terrorist activities. Meanwhile, other countries in the region, such as Kyrgyzstan, have also begun to reconsider the group’s status. In September 2024, Kyrgyz authorities removed the Taliban from their own national list of banned extremist organizations.
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