Taliban may soon punish divorced Afghan women with “Adultery” as marriage law is changed

International crimes on violations of Human Rights continue to take place in Afghanistan, where the Taliban has enforced more stricter and regressive marriage laws.

Women in Afghanistan are highly oppressed under the Taliban regime and tortures against them continue as thousands of women are under the threat of being punished since the Taliban have declared divorce illegal in the land.

Thousands of women who divorced their husbands according to the policy of the previous government and remarried may be subject to punishment on grounds of adultery since their second marriage becomes invalid due to the cancellation of their divorce.

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Several women who had to wait for years to escape from abusive marriages are on a run again due to this new rule under the Taliban regime in Afghanistan.

In conversation with many Afghani women, they revealed that they were mentally tormented and physically abused by their husbands but due to the allowance of the previous government, they could stand before a judge in court and get a divorce without the mutual consent of their husbands.

One of them recalls how her stepfather sold her into marriage at the age of 13 to support his drug habit, the young Afghan woman fought for years to escape from her abusive husband. She eventually ran away from his home, divorced, and remarried however the new policy has threatened her to run away once more.

There are several other Afghani women had been interviewed but their identities have to be concealed for security purposes. According to former lawyers and judges, since 2021, marriage laws have been twisted to mostly suit divorced husbands, especially the ones who have ties with the Taliban.

The Taliban regime since taking over in 2021 has made several alterations to the marriage laws in the country which has deteriorated the condition of women largely. Taliban rule has greatly restricted their access to education and employment, banned them from public parks, and mandated ultraconservative dressing for females.

According to the Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, as per Islamic Law, it is mandatory for both parties to be present before the court to get a divorce. A one-sided divorce will be considered null and void under the new rule.