Taliban Legalizes Beating Women Under New Criminal Code

DID Press: According to a report by The Telegraph, a 60-page version of the Taliban’s new criminal code circulated to courts in Afghanistan reclassifies domestic violence against women not as a “crime” but as a “disciplinary” act. Under the code, punishment applies only if severe injuries—such as broken bones or open wounds—are proven. Even then, the maximum penalty for men is set at 15 days in prison.

The document, signed by Hibatullah Akhundzada, structures the complaint process in ways that make it nearly impossible for women to prove abuse. Requirements include presenting physical evidence before a judge, while women must appear fully covered in court.

The regulations further state that if a woman flees domestic violence and seeks refuge with her family without her husband’s permission, she faces up to three months in prison. The code provides no mechanisms or safeguards to protect children from physical, psychological, or sexual abuse, leaving them effectively unprotected.

Human rights analysts warn that the new criminal code not only legitimizes domestic violence but forms part of a broader effort to institutionalize control over women’s bodies and freedoms in Afghanistan. Alongside sweeping restrictions on women’s education, employment, and public participation, the measures signal an attempt by the Taliban to entrench gender discrimination as formal legal doctrine.