The situation for women in Afghanistan is set to deteriorate further as the Taliban regime vows to escalate its persecution, including public stoning to death for alleged adultery, under the guise of religious law.
Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, in an audio message, announced the implementation of harsh punishments, such as public floggings and executions, for crimes ranging from theft to adultery. Akhundzada compared Western values to those of the Devil, asserting that the Taliban’s actions are justified as representatives of God.
The Taliban’s rollback of women’s rights has been swift since seizing control in 2021, with prohibitions on female education, employment, and public appearance enforced rigorously. Under their puritanical interpretation of Sharia law, women are compelled to cover themselves completely and are barred from various public spaces and educational institutions.
Rights groups attribute the deteriorating situation to the international community’s silence and lack of accountability towards the Taliban’s actions. Human Rights Watch researcher Sahar Fetrat warned that continued inaction could embolden the Taliban further, leading to increasingly oppressive measures against Afghan women.
Fetrat urged global intervention to halt the Taliban’s systematic abuses and prevent further regression in women’s rights, emphasizing the urgent need for accountability and protection of Afghan women from escalating persecution.
Source: Firstpost
