Hasan was governor of Kandahar Province from 1996 until the United States invasion of Afghanistan in 2001.[2] He governed in strict accordance with the Taliban's interpretation of Sharia law, which called for the death penalty for adultery and amputation for thievery. Regarding homosexuality, Hasan stated, "According to the Koran, homosexuality is a great sin. I have listened to the radio, and I know that even in the rest of the world there is a great struggle against this.