Taliban restrictions and public punishments five years after taking power in Afghanistan

As the Taliban approach the fifth anniversary of their return to power in August 2026, reports indicate severe restrictions on the Afghan population, particularly women. UN Women data reveals that half of Afghan women now leave their homes only once or twice a month due to systematic curtailments of their freedom of movement and public life. Afghanistan remains the only country worldwide that bans girls from secondary education and women from university studies.

Simultaneously, the Afghanistan Human Rights and Democracy Organization (AHRDO) reports that between February 22, 2022, and April 21, 2026, at least 2,745 individuals were subjected to public lashings in 634 documented incidents. The victims included 422 women, 1,761 men, and 562 others. Two-thirds of these punishments were linked to alleged sexual crimes or moral offenses, such as adultery or fleeing home. Saif-ul-Islam Khyber, a spokesperson for the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, has disputed claims regarding the lack of safety for women. The situation remains critical as international observers highlight the institutionalized stripping of basic rights since the Taliban took control in August 2021.