A recent criminal regulation endorsed by the Taliban leader is poised to deepen discrimination and violence against women and minority groups in Afghanistan, according to a legal analysis released Friday by Amnesty International.
The “Criminal Procedure Regulation of the Courts” outlines punishments and sentencing for a range of offenses described as vague and overly broad. A key provision criminalizes domestic violence only when a woman suffers a broken bone or visible injuries, effectively normalizing other forms of abuse. The regulation also stipulates a three-month prison sentence for women who regularly visit family members without their husband’s permission and refuse a court order to return home, further restricting their movement, and autonomy.
Beyond its impact on women, the regulation introduces harsh punishments for religious non-compliance, with more severe penalties for individuals of lower social status. Amnesty International’s analysis indicates the regulation explicitly recognizes slavery, authorizing the destruction of property as punishment, institutionalizing torture through corporal punishment, and expanding the apply of the death penalty to include offenses such as ‘habitual sodomy’ determined by an Imam’s discretionary judgement.
“The regulation makes an already repressive legal system even more draconian,” said Smriti Singh, Amnesty International’s South Asia Director. “Women and girls are, of course, among the most affected, with provisions that normalize domestic violence and place even greater restrictions on their movement and autonomy.”
Singh added that provisions regarding strict religious observance and punishments based on social class will “entrench discrimination and target the country’s most marginalized and economically disadvantaged people.”
The regulation, endorsed on January 5 by Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, was circulated to courts across Afghanistan on January 8, despite not yet being officially published in the government gazette, according to Amnesty International. The organization contacted the Taliban authorities on February 19 requesting a copy of the regulation and information on its enforcement, but received no response.
A report from Tawazon media on March 7, 2026, confirmed Amnesty International’s assessment, stating the new regulation will “deepen discrimination and violence against women and minority groups in Afghanistan.”
According to a report by Kabul Now, Amnesty International has warned that the new criminal regulation could escalate violence and discrimination against women and minority groups. A media outlet reported on February 15 that the implementation of the regulation had already led to the prosecution of an individual in Badghis province for allegedly insulting the Taliban leader.
Amnesty International is calling on the Taliban to immediately revoke or revise the regulation to align with international human rights standards and urging the international community to condemn the regulation and pressure the Taliban to end ongoing human rights violations.
