Taliban legalizes sick child marriages with special rules for ‘virgin girls’ in Afghanistan
The Taliban has formalized a new family law in Afghanistan that legitimizes child marriages, including those involving infants, under a 31-article decree approved by Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada. The law allows for the marriage of 'virgin girls' and interprets their silence as consent, while granting guardians authority over marriage decisions. Human rights groups condemn the rules as enabling child abuse and gender-based oppression, with no protections against violence toward women.
- ▪The Taliban's new family law decree, titled 'Principles of Separation Between Spouses,' was published in the regime’s official gazette in May 2026.
- ▪Girls as young as 20 days old are reportedly being exchanged in marriage deals due to extreme poverty, with prices ranging from $500 to $3,000.
- ▪The law permits a child bride to seek annulment upon puberty, but only if a Taliban court approves it.
- ▪Silence from a 'virgin girl' is legally interpreted as consent to marriage under the new regulations.
- ▪The Taliban's legal code does not prohibit sexual or psychological violence against women, and husbands may beat wives if no visible harm results.
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World News Taliban legalizes sick child marriages with special rules for ‘virgin girls’ in Afghanistan By Jeanne Erickson Published May 16, 2026, 4:39 p.m. ET The Taliban has formally legitimized child marriages under a twisted new family law decree that sets out rules for marriages involving minors — treating the girls as sellable property. It also establishes specific guidelines governing “virgin girls,” reported Afghan outlet Amu TV. Approved by Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, the 31-article regulation — titled “Principles of Separation Between Spouses” — was published in the regime’s official gazette in mid-May. In Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, girls can effectively be sold before they are even old enough to walk.
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