Women in Afghanistan who have been arrested under the Taliban’s controversial new anti-begging laws are sharing harrowing accounts of abuse, including rape, torture, and forced labor during their detentions. These women, who had no choice but to beg for food and money to support their families, are now calling attention to the brutality they endured in the hands of Taliban authorities.
Since the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan in August 2021, women have faced increasing restrictions, including bans on most paid employment. With little opportunity to earn a living, many women have been left destitute, unable to provide for their children. As a result, begging has become a desperate measure for survival.
In May 2023, the Taliban introduced harsh new laws making it illegal for “healthy” individuals to beg on the streets, with a focus on rounding up those they classify as “professional” or “destitute beggars.” Under these laws, nearly 60,000 beggars in Kabul alone have been arrested, with their biometric data and fingerprints taken as part of an official registration process.
Zahra*, a 32-year-old mother of three, was forced into begging after her husband, who served in the former Afghan national army, disappeared following the Taliban’s takeover. Desperate for food for her children, Zahra approached a local councilor for help, only to be told to beg on the streets.
“I was unaware of the Taliban’s anti-begging laws until they arrested me,” Zahra explained. “I was with my son when they took him and dragged me into a vehicle. They detained me for three days, forcing me to cook, clean, and do laundry for the men in the prison. When I resisted being fingerprinted, they beat me unconscious and raped me.” Zahra expressed feelings of deep despair, contemplating ending her life, but said her children were the only reason she found the strength to continue. “Who would feed my children if I wasn’t here?”
Parwana*, another woman who was arrested in October while begging with her young daughter, was detained for 15 days in Kabul’s Badam Bagh prison. She reported being physically abused and sexually assaulted during her detention. “We were told to get married, then beaten and forced to wash dishes,” she said. Parwana added that she and other women were also subjected to sexual violence while in custody. The trauma of these experiences has left her deeply depressed.
The stories of abuse extend beyond the suffering of adult women. Former detainees have reported witnessing the horrific treatment of young children in prison. One woman alleged that two children were beaten to death during her time in detention, and said, “No one dared speak. If we spoke up, they’d beat us and call us shameless. Watching those children die before my eyes is something I’ll never forget.”
The brutal treatment of those detained under the anti-begging law is codified in the Taliban’s legislation, which includes a disturbing clause on the handling of deceased beggars. According to Article 25, if a beggar dies in custody and has no relatives or their family refuses to collect the body, municipal officials are responsible for the burial.
Despite the Taliban’s claim that those classified as “destitute” would be entitled to financial assistance after release, none of the women detained under the new laws reported receiving any support.
Parwana, now too fearful to beg again, relies on her neighbors for food. “These days, I go door to door in my neighborhood, collecting stale, dry bread. I have no other choice,” she said. “The Taliban are brutal and oppressive, but where can I go to complain about them? We are alone.”
The devastating impact of these laws on women and children in Afghanistan has drawn increasing international condemnation. Women’s rights organizations and human rights groups continue to call for an end to the Taliban’s oppressive policies and for accountability for the abuse that continues to devastate families across the country.
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