Taliban Enacts Harsh New Laws Legalising Doméstic V!olence in Afghanistan

The Taliban has introduced a controversial new penal code in Afghanistan that effectively legitimises domestic violence, representing a major regression in women’s rights across the country.

The 90-page legislation permits husbands to physically punish their wives and children, as long as the abuse does not result in “broken bones or open wounds.” Under the new provisions, cases involving more severe violence termed “obscene force” carry a maximum penalty of just 15 days in prison. Moreover, convictions will only be pursued if the wife can provide proof of the abuse in court.

Additionally, married women may face up to three months in jail for visiting relatives without their husband’s explicit permission. The laws effectively treat women as the property or servants of their husbands, dismantling protections previously established under the 2009 Elimination of Violence Against Women (EVAW) law, enacted during the former US-backed government.

Exiled Afghan human rights organisation Rawadari, which obtained a copy of the penal code, warned that the new rules would normalise abuse, mistreatment, and domestic punishment of women and children, leaving them vulnerable to ongoing violence. The restrictions on women’s ability to visit family members further erode one of the few legal safeguards available in a country with limited formal protections.