The Taliban have passed a controversial new penal code in Afghanistan that effectively legalises domestic violence, representing a major setback for women’s rights in the country.
The 90-page legislation allows husbands to physically punish their wives and children, as long as the abuse does not cause “broken bones or open wounds.” Cases involving more severe abuse, labeled as “obscene force,” carry a maximum prison sentence of just 15 days, and prosecutions require the wife to prove the abuse in court.
In a further blow to women’s autonomy, married women can face up to three months in prison for visiting relatives without their husband’s explicit permission. The laws treat women as the “property” or “slaves” of their husbands, dismantling safeguards previously provided under the 2009 Elimination of Violence Against Women (EVAW) law, which was introduced under the US-backed Afghan government.
Exiled Afghan human rights organisation Rawadari warned that the new rules will legitimise abuse, mistreatment, and domestic punishment of women and children, leaving them exposed to ongoing violence. The restrictions on visiting family members remove one of the few legal protections available to women in a country with minimal formal remedies.
This development has drawn international condemnation, highlighting the continued erosion of women’s rights under Taliban rule.
