Penal Code of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan: The End of a Dream or the Beginning of a Nightmare – Part 2
This blog continues the author’s prior analysis of the Penal Code of the Islamic Emirate by examining some of its key ambiguities and omissions. Part 1 of this blog can...
Penal Code of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan: The End of a Dream or the Beginning of a Nightmare – Part 1
Introduction 15 Jadi 1404 (January 5, 2026) may be remembered as a turning point in the development of Afghanistan’s criminal law under Taliban rule, but one that raises serious concerns...
The Taliban’s New “Criminal Procedure Code for Courts”: Fundamental Rights Violations Are Now Legal in Afghanistan
On 4 January 2026, the Taliban adopted the “Criminal Procedure Code for Courts” (De Mahakumu Jazaai Osulnama). Until then, Taliban leader Hibabullah Akhundzad simply posted new rules on X, which...
The Codification of Gender Apartheid under International Law and the Evolutive Significance of ‘Apartheid’
Discussions and advocacy movements to codify the concept of ‘gender apartheid’ under international law have gained traction since the resurgence of the Talibans to power in Afghanistan in 2021 and...
Silenced Voices: The Fall of Press Freedom in Afghanistan
On 3 May, World Press Freedom Day reminded governments of their duty to uphold press freedom, and honoured the journalists who risk—and lose—their lives in pursuit of the truth. It...
The Crime Against Humanity of Gender Persecution: A First Beam of Light for Afghan Women and Girls
The application by the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) for arrest warrants against two senior Taliban leaders has opened a window of hope for Afghan...
The International Criminal Court’s Pursuit of Accountability for Gender Persecution in Afghanistan: A Landmark Step for Justice (Part II)
On January 23, 2025, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued a formal statement concluding that the Supreme Leader of the Taliban, Haibatullah Akhundzada, and the Chief Justice...
The International Criminal Court’s Pursuit of Accountability for Gender Persecution in Afghanistan: A Landmark Step for Justice (Part I)
On January 23, 2025, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued a formal statement concluding that the Supreme Leader of the Taliban, Haibatullah Akhundzada, and the Chief Justice...
The Dangerous Road from Gender Backlash to Gender Apartheid
Oxford Human Rights Hub · The Dangerous Road from Gender Backlash to Gender Apartheid In this episode, Meghan Campbell talks with Dorothy Estrada-Tanck, Member of the UN Working Group on...
Violence Against Women: Before and After the Taliban
Image description: An Afghani woman teaching a classroom of girls. Violence against women (VAW) is a global epidemic that affects all nationalities. VAW and long-term deprivation of human rights and...
Pakistan: Discriminatory rules preclude Afghan refugee children from attaining secondary education
In 2012, the Board of Secondary Education in Karachi (BSEK), made it mandatory for ninth grade students to possess a Child Registration Certificate. The certificate serves as an identity for...
Restricting Human Rights: Afghanistan to Amend its Law on Non-Governmental Organizations
Article 7 of the Afghan Constitution binds the government to respect International Human Rights Law, and to preserve the rights enshrined by it. These rights include, but are not limited...
