KABUL, Afghanistan — Taliban authorities in Afghanistan have formally introduced a new decree allowing husbands to physically discipline their wives, provided they do not cause broken bones, open wounds, or permanent injury, a move that has drawn swift condemnation from international human rights organisations and the United Nations.
The directive, reportedly issued last month, came to light after it was leaked to the Afghan rights group Rawadari and later translated into English by the Afghanistan Analysts Network. It marks the first time since the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021 that such punishments have been formally codified in writing.
Under the code, a husband who inflicts severe harm, such as broken bones or open wounds, could face a limited penalty of 15 days’ imprisonment, if the wife appeals to a judge.
“If a husband beats his wife so severely that it results in a broken bone, or an open wound, or a black and blue wound appears on her body, and the wife appeals to a judge, then the husband will be considered an offender,” the decree states, according to the translated version, as quoted by Vivid Voice News.
Women’s rights under intensifying pressure
Women’s rights campaigners say the decree further institutionalises gender-based violence in a country where women’s freedoms have already been dramatically curtailed.
“The men have the right to rule the women completely…his word is the word of law – that’s it,” women’s rights activist Mahbouba Seraj said.
The regulations also empower fathers to physically punish children, including for failing to pray. Teachers who cause serious physical harm, such as breaking a bone, would face dismissal.
Activists argue that the legal revisions make it virtually impossible for women to seek justice, particularly in a judicial system shaped by the Taliban’s strict interpretation of Sharia law, where a woman’s testimony is generally considered half the weight of a man’s.
Broader restrictions since 2021
Since retaking power in August 2021 following the withdrawal of US and NATO forces, the Taliban have imposed sweeping restrictions on women’s participation in public life. Women have been barred from most forms of employment and prohibited from attending secondary school and university.
The UN children’s agency estimates that more than two million girls have been excluded from education as a result.
According to the UNICEF, Afghanistan remains the only country in the world where girls are formally banned from secondary and higher education.
The latest decree also introduces harsher penalties in other areas. Individuals accused of insulting Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada face 39 lashes and a one-year prison sentence. Those deemed to have “humiliated senior officials” risk six months in jail and 20 lashes.
Capital punishment is sanctioned for a wide range of offences, including what the decree describes as spreading beliefs “contrary to Islam” and engaging in acts defined as heresy, sorcery, homosexuality, or repeated theft.
In contrast, forcing animals such as dogs or cockerels to fight carries a prison term of up to five months, an element critics have pointed to as highlighting the stark disparity in protections.
International reaction
Rawadari condemned the decree as “incompatible with even the most basic standards of fair trial, including the principle of equality before the law.”
The United Nations has also raised alarm over Afghanistan’s deteriorating human rights record. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk described the decree as “legitimising violence against women and children,” warning that “Afghanistan is a graveyard for human rights.”
“Afghanistan’s women and girls face extreme gender-based discrimination and oppression that amounts to persecution. The system of segregation is reminiscent of apartheid, based on gender rather than race,” Türk said.
Activist Seraj said the consequences are already visible.
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“I cannot tell you the number of calls I’m getting from women who are desperate all over Afghanistan,” she said. “When you have these kinds of laws being implemented and the husband can decide on everything then forget it. At least before there was a fear of the courts and judges. Women would complain. Now what?”
Legal experts note that the formal codification of domestic punishment signals a consolidation of Taliban governance structures, embedding ideological positions into written law.
Observers say the move will likely complicate ongoing diplomatic engagement between the Taliban and the international community, which has conditioned broader recognition on improvements in women’s rights and inclusive governance.
The decree underscores Afghanistan’s deepening isolation as rights groups warn that the space for dissent, legal recourse, and civil liberties continues to narrow.
