Taliban's Legal Repression: Crimes Against Women in Afghanistan

The UN investigator on human rights in Afghanistan accuses the Taliban of weaponizing the legal system to oppress women, amounting to crimes against humanity. After seizing power in 2021, the Taliban suspended laws protecting women's rights, replacing judges with men who lack legal training and rely on Taliban edicts.

The UN's top human rights investigator in Afghanistan has accused the Taliban of using the country's legal and judicial systems as tools for systemic oppression against women and girls, amounting to crimes against humanity.

According to a report presented to the UN General Assembly, Richard Bennett claims that since the Taliban's takeover in 2021, crucial laws protecting women's rights, including prohibition against various forms of violence and forced marriage, have been dismantled.

The Taliban's regime has replaced approximately 270 female judges with male counterparts lacking legal training, compelling Afghan women to increasingly rely on informal and male-dominated justice systems. International fora, including the International Criminal Court, are seen as havens for justice.