Foreign media reports state that the Taliban government in Afghanistan has enacted a criminal code allowing a certain level of domestic violence against women and children, as long as it does not cause broken bones or open wounds.
The code has been formally legalized following the signature of Taliban Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada.
Under the new law, a husband may physically punish his wife and children. Severe punishment leading to clear fractures or visible injuries can result in a maximum prison sentence of 15 days—but only if the woman can prove the abuse in court. She must present her injuries to the judge while fully covered, and a male guardian or her husband must be present in court.
Additionally, married women who meet relatives without their husband’s permission can face up to three months in prison.
Article 9 of the code divides Afghan society into four classes: religious scholars, elite, middle class, and lower class. Punishments for the same crime are determined based on the perpetrator’s social status rather than the severity of the act. Religious scholars may receive only a warning, elite members will be counseled in court, middle-class individuals may face imprisonment, and lower-class individuals could receive imprisonment combined with corporal punishment.
Serious physical punishments will be administered by religious scholars rather than correctional institutions.
The 90-page code also repeals the 2009 Elimination of Violence Against Women (EVAW) law, which had been introduced under the previous U.S.-backed Afghan government.
Earlier, In Afghanistan, senior officials at several institutions offering nursing and midwifery courses have revealed that, following an unofficial directive from the Taliban’s supreme leader, women will no longer be allowed to attend classes in these fields.
According to a report by AFP, a health ministry official who was not authorized to speak publicly disclosed that ministry officials met with the directors of educational institutions in Kabul on Monday to inform them of the new policy.
The official clarified, “No official written notice has been issued yet, but during the meeting, the directors were told that women and girls will no longer be permitted to continue their education at these institutions.” The directors were given no further explanation or justification, other than the fact that the order came directly from the supreme leader and must be enforced.
