European Parliament Member: Taliban criminal code drives Afghan women toward slavery

KABUL: Hanna Neumann, a member of the European Parliament, has stated that the “Taliban court criminal code” pushes women toward slavery. In a video message posted on X, Neumann emphasized that speaking, leaving home, or attending school are treated as crimes by the Taliban, punishable by flogging or imprisonment. She called the Taliban’s actions against women as “gender apartheid” and asked the European Union to formally recognize the issue and legislate it as a crime against humanity. Neumann stressed that remaining silent in the face of these actions does not indicate neutrality—it constitutes complicity. Her remarks come as the Taliban have recently enacted a law permitting husbands to beat their wives.