A 17-year-old girl has been held in a Taliban prison for 21 months, allegedly suffering torture, after refusing a marriage proposal from a 70-year-old local commander, according to the Revolutionary Association of Women of Afghanistan (RAWA).
The girl, Bibi Sediqa, was reportedly forced to live in the commander Mawlawi Khodainazar's home when she was 12 to settle a debt her father owed. Khodainazar allegedly used armed intimidation to pressure her father into consenting to the marriage, but Bibi Sediqa refused.
While an initial Taliban court ruled in the girl's favor, Khodainazar reportedly influenced a judge in Badghis province to move the case to a different court. There, a judge sentenced the then 14-year-old Bibi Sediqa to five years in prison. During her incarceration, she has reportedly faced torture and has suffered severe psychological trauma due to the treatment and lack of access to justice. Her mother has also experienced serious health issues attributed to her daughter's imprisonment.
Sources cited by RAWA indicate that Taliban authorities recently proposed a settlement that would involve Bibi Sediqa marrying Khodainazar for three days. However, her family states that no practical steps have been taken and no independent committee has been formed to investigate the case.
Since the Taliban's return to power in 2021, there have been reports of forced marriages of young girls. Earlier this year, the group reportedly legalized child marriage with the consent of a male relative. Afghanistan lacks a clear legal minimum age for marriage, and the traditional practice of 'baad,' where young daughters are given to settle disputes or debts, has resurfaced under Taliban rule. This practice, which was banned by a 2009 law, sees girls either become wives or servants.
Last week marked the fifth anniversary of the Taliban's rule in Afghanistan. Celebrations included a military parade in Kabul, featuring vehicles left behind by the U.S.-led coalition, and sporting events from which women and girls were banned.
Baroness Helena Kennedy, a women's rights campaigner, urged Britain to exert pressure on countries like India and Qatar, which maintain contact with the Taliban. She suggested that such diplomatic engagement could help drive a wedge between more progressive and hardline factions within the Taliban leadership.