Taliban New Family Law in Afghanistan

The Taliban regime in Afghanistan has introduced a controversial new family law, 'Principles of Separation Between Spouses', approved by supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada. The 31-article regulation, published in Afghanistan's official gazette, includes provisions that allow the silence of a 'virgin girl' after puberty to be treated as consent for marriage, while not applying the same rule to boys or previously married women. The law also grants fathers and grandfathers broad authority over child marriages and empowers Taliban judges to intervene in disputes involving adultery, religious conversion, and prolonged absence of husbands. This move has drawn strong criticism from rights activists like Fahima Mahomed and international observers, who condemn the restrictions imposed on Afghan women and girls since the Taliban's return to power in 2021.