An Afghan teenager's plea for a divorce from a violent husband was denied by a Taliban official who subsequently declared women are 'deficient in intellect.' The 18-year-old woman approached Governor Abdullah Sarhadi, explaining her husband's abuse and her decision to leave him.
"If there was any chance to live together, I wouldn't be here… I have taken my decision," the woman stated, wearing a burqa and sunglasses. Under Taliban rule, a woman seeking a divorce may be required to return some or all of the dowry her husband paid. In this case, the husband reportedly demanded four times the original amount, a sum her family refused to pay.
Governor Sarhadi, a former Taliban commander from the 1990s and the current governor of Jawzjan province, dismissed the woman's appeal. He attempted to persuade her to remain with her husband, questioning who would marry her after a divorce and warning she would lose her dignity. The woman responded that her honor and dignity had already been ruined.
Sarhadi's remarks, which included calling women 'mindless' and stating they 'don't know a thing,' were met with laughter from the men present. He was previously a military commander in Bamiyan, where the giant Buddha statues were destroyed during the Taliban's first rule. After the Taliban's initial ouster in 2001 by a U.S.-led coalition, Sarhadi spent several years at Guantanamo Bay. He now also serves as deputy commander of a military corps in Kunduz province.
Sarhadi told the woman her husband would be warned against further violence or face jail time and advised her to have a separate room. The woman's father indicated he would pursue a divorce through the courts, though success is considered unlikely as the Taliban's judicial system rarely grants divorces without the husband's consent.
The incident was captured for a BBC documentary, "The Taliban: Coming Out Of The Shadows." While the Taliban initially suggested a change from their previous hardline stance, many strict laws have been reintroduced. In recent years, women's rights have been significantly curtailed, including restrictions on education, public speaking, and forced marriages. Employment limitations have also been imposed, with female doctors in Panjshir province reportedly told they could not work unless wearing a burqa.
Child marriage, previously banned in 2009, was re-legalized earlier this year with the consent of a male relative. Afghanistan also has a traditional practice known as 'baad,' where young girls are given to families to settle disputes or debts. Reports have surfaced of a 14-year-old girl allegedly enduring torture in a Taliban prison for nearly two years after refusing to marry an elderly local commander.
Strict regulations on women's appearance and public movement are enforced by morality police, leading to widespread fear among women. A resident of Herat described women being harassed, detained, and subjected to psychological abuse. In June, a protest against the morality police resulted in one death and several injuries when officials opened fire on demonstrators.
Women were also banned from recent sporting events held to mark the anniversary of Taliban rule. Baroness Helena Kennedy, a women's rights campaigner, urged Britain to pressure allies like India and Qatar, who maintain contact with the Taliban, to address what she termed 'gender apartheid' in Afghanistan. She suggested applying pressure through diplomatic channels to foster a division between more progressive and hardline elements within the Taliban leadership.