Taliban's New Penal Code: Harsher Prison Terms For Animal Abuse Than Violence Against Women

In a shocking development that has drawn massive international outrage, the Taliban government has quietly enacted a sweeping new penal code in Afghanistan. 

119-article decree, signed by Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, fundamentally rewrites the nation's legal system. It effectively legalizes domestic abuse and establishes a chilling hierarchy where the physical integrity of an animal is legally valued more than that of an Afghan woman.

Here at IN4 GRAMS, as we continuously monitor global crime and international legal developments, this newly surfaced "Criminal Procedure Code for Courts" stands out as one of the most draconian legal frameworks enacted in modern history.

Most glaring disparity in the 60-page decree lies in its sentencing guidelines. Under Article 32 of the code, domestic violence is severely trivialized. If a husband brutally beats his wife with a stick—resulting in a visible bone fracture, torn skin, or severe bodily bruising—he faces a maximum sentence of just 15 days in prison. Furthermore, the burden of proof rests entirely on the female victim, who must present her injuries to a male judge while remaining fully covered and accompanied by a male guardian.

In stark contrast, the penal code lays down much stricter punishments for animal cruelty. Any individual found guilty of mistreating animals or provoking fights between camels, dogs, or birds is subject to a mandatory five-month prison sentence. Human rights activists have rightfully pointed out the sinister legal hierarchy this creates: in the eyes of the law, a bird's welfare commands significantly more protection than a woman's life.

Legislation does not just protect abusers; it actively criminalizes victims who attempt to seek refuge. According to the document, if a married woman repeatedly visits her father's or a relative's house without her husband's explicit permission, she can be sentenced to three months in prison. Crucially, any family member who provides her shelter is also liable for prosecution, completely stripping away the last remaining safe havens for victims fleeing domestic violence.

Beyond gender apartheid, the decree formally abolishes the concept of equality before the law. The code divides Afghan society into four distinct social strata: religious scholars, elites, the middle class, and the lower class. For the exact same criminal offense, a religious scholar might merely receive a verbal warning from a judge, while an "average" citizen faces imprisonment, and a lower-class individual is subjected to brutal physical flogging in public.

Document, initially kept quiet by Taliban authorities, was recently exposed by the Afghan human rights organization Rawadari. Since its publication, it has faced fierce backlash. Susan Ferguson, the UN Women Special Representative in Afghanistan, expressed profound concern, noting that the decree places husbands in a position of absolute authority and limits women's ability to seek basic justice.

As the international community grapples with this devastating rollback of fundamental rights, the daily reality for millions of Afghan citizens continues to darken under a regime where violence is officially mandated by law.