A disturbing video from 2015, showing a 19-year-old Afghan woman named Rukhshana being stoned to death by the Taliban for adultery, has resurfaced, underscoring the severe deterioration of women's rights in the country. The footage, captured by an anonymous witness, depicts Rukhshana being pelted with rocks by a group of men shouting religious slogans while she is buried in a hole.
Rukhshana's alleged crime was attempting to elope with her childhood sweetheart after her parents had previously arranged a marriage for her. After escaping her forced marriage twice, she was apprehended by local Taliban forces. Her family was reportedly unable to pay a demanded ransom, leading a Taliban cleric to order her stoning.
This incident, though from 2015, is presented as one of many examples of violence against women in Afghanistan. Months prior to Rukhshana's death, Farkhunda was beaten and set ablaze in Kabul after being falsely accused of desecrating a Koran. In the same year, a video appeared to show a woman being flogged in public after a court found her guilty of having extramarital sex, a punishment mirroring that of the man involved.
Since the Taliban's return to power, the situation for women and girls has reportedly worsened. They face widespread discrimination, with restrictions on education, employment, and public life. Women are banned from secondary school and universities, most jobs, and activities in public spaces. Dress codes are strictly enforced, requiring full hijab and face coverings, policed by the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, with non-compliance leading to severe punishment.
In recent weeks, the Taliban's morality police have intensified their enforcement of strict Sharia law dress codes. In Herat, at least nine women were detained for allegedly violating dress codes, despite wearing hijabs. Reports indicate increased harassment and psychological abuse, leading to a climate of fear where women are reluctant to leave their homes. Detentions have occurred even when women are reportedly complying with dress requirements, sometimes for wearing long coats.
In Panjshir province, female doctors were reportedly told they could not work unless they wore a burqa. These actions follow a protest in June against the Taliban's morality police, which resulted in at least one death and several injuries when officials opened fire on demonstrators. Protesters had gathered to denounce the detention of women and girls for dress code violations.
A UN Human Rights report released in March described a severe worsening of conditions for Afghans, particularly women and girls. The report stated that the Taliban's edicts and laws have had a crushing impact, excluding women from all education above primary school and banning them from higher education and medical institutes. Women not complying with dress codes have been removed from public transport and denied access to public markets and services. A new law also dictates that girls must wait until puberty to seek escape from marriage and requires mediation for women fleeing abusive husbands. The UN Human Rights chief noted that the authorities have effectively criminalized the presence of women and girls in public life, impacting their healthcare, civic space, and freedom of movement and expression, concluding that "Afghanistan is a graveyard for human rights."