Amnesty International: Taliban’s Penal Code for Courts Is “Repressive and Authoritarian”

Amnesty International says it has reviewed the Taliban’s newly issued penal code for courts and has described the document as repressive and authoritarian. In a statement released on Friday (March 5), the organization said the code targets minority groups with harsher punishments and creates conditions for widespread discrimination. Amnesty International also stressed that the document further institutionalizes violence and discrimination against women. According to the organization, some provisions allow the beating of women to the extent that it could result in broken bones. The statement notes that women who regularly visit family members without their husband’s permission and refuse a court order to return home may face up to three months in prison. The organization further claims that the document recognizes slavery and divides society into different social classes. Smriti Singh, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for South Asia, said: “These regulations make an already repressive legal system even more authoritarian. Women and girls are among those most affected, as some provisions normalize domestic violence and impose further restrictions on their movement and independence.” Meanwhile, the Taliban have confirmed drafting the penal code for the courts and warned that critics of the document could be considered criminals.