Afghan Women Face Prison Risks Under Taliban Religious Codes
Taliban restrictions now bar women from doctors and markets without male escorts, worsening conditions for minorities.
Key points
- Girls are barred from schooling past sixth grade under current Taliban rules.
- Religious minorities risk imprisonment or death if they worship openly in public.
- Authorities extort families for money before releasing detained individuals.
Afghan women face increased danger and imprisonment under Taliban rule. Experts reported this at a U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom hearing. The restrictions limit basic rights like education and healthcare.
Girls cannot attend school past sixth grade. Women need male relatives to visit doctors or courts. Even buying groceries requires full-body coverings, including eye coverings.
Legal Status Shifts Worsen Minority Risks
Conditions have deteriorated since the Taliban recognized only Sunni Muslims as citizens. Religious minorities, including Christians and Hindus, must worship in secret. They risk imprisonment or death for practicing their faith openly.
According to Amnesty International, new penalties target deviations from the Hanafi school. The code labels beliefs contrary to Sunni Islam as heretical. This creates severe legal risks for non-Sunni Muslims and other groups.
Sikhs in Afghanistan have nearly vanished due to persecution. Afghan activist Shaharzad Akbar notes that Christians and Jews must hide conversions. They do this to protect their lives from state violence.
Surveillance and Extortion Target Families
Illegal detention without cause remains common in the country. Authorities often extort families by demanding money before releasing detainees. Victims are forced to sign papers agreeing to silence about the incident.
Women of minority religions face additional police surveillance. Many avoid public places entirely to stay safe. Taliban officials now monitor patients in hospitals to check their identities.
Soifa Ramyar, founder of the non-profit Aramesh, describes this as extreme measures. Her organization provides mental health support to affected women. The pervasive fear drives women to restrict their own movements.
Faith Weaponized Against Women’s Autonomy
Even Sunni Muslim women are self-censoring to avoid police attention. Many no longer attend mosques due to fear of collective punishment. Men in their families may also face punishment for the women’s actions.
