Afghanistan Times
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KABUL – The Taliban are invalidating court-granted divorces for child brides in Afghanistan, forcing them to return to their former adult husbands, according to a report by the BBC. This comes as part of the regime’s strict interpretation of Sharia law, which nullifies divorces previously granted by the Afghan courts.
The report highlights the case of Bibi Nazdana, who at seven was married to a farmer as part of a family reconciliation effort. After years of struggling, Nazdana secured a divorce from the Afghan government. However, following the Taliban’s takeover in 2021, her former husband appealed the decision. Despite being represented by her brother, Shams, as the Taliban barred her from defending herself in court, her divorce was ultimately revoked by a Taliban-led court, deeming the previous ruling as “against Sharia law.”
Nazdana, now 20, has fled the country with her brother and sought help from international organizations, including the United Nations, but her appeals for support remain unanswered. Her case is one of tens of thousands affected by the Taliban’s reversal of court rulings, leaving many women trapped in unwanted marriages.
Taliban officials claim they have reviewed over 355,000 cases, with 30% involving family issues, since regaining control of Afghanistan.
