Nazdana escaped from Afghanistan with her divorce papers in hand, seeking refuge under a tree between two bustling roads. These documents held more value to her than anything else in the world: they represented her hard-won freedom from a forced child marriage after a grueling two-year legal battle. However, the Taliban, with their strict interpretation of Sharia law, deemed her divorce invalid, part of a larger trend of overturning tens of thousands of court rulings since taking power three years ago.
Her ex-husband, now a member of the Taliban, successfully appealed the divorce ruling, despite her brother’s warnings of the danger she would face. With no other options left, Nazdana and her brother Shams made the difficult decision to flee for their lives.
The Taliban, who promised to bring justice under Sharia law when they returned to power, have instead implemented a system that removes judges and excludes women from participating in the judicial process. Former female judges like Fawzia Amini, who fled the country after the Taliban’s resurgence, express little hope for women’s rights under this new legal regime.
Despite the Taliban’s claims of adhering to Islamic law, critics like Ms. Amini argue that overturning legally binding court decisions, such as Nazdana’s divorce, undermines the rule of law and the rights of women. The Taliban’s reliance on outdated Hanafi Fiqh jurisprudence, updated to suit their current needs, has raised concerns about the future of Afghanistan’s legal system.
As the country grapples with these legal and social changes, the plight of women like Nazdana serves as a stark reminder of the challenges they face in a society shaped by conflicting interpretations of law and justice. La BBC ¿Se casaron sus padres basándose en estas leyes o en las leyes que sus hijos van a escribir?” pregunta.
Bajo el árbol entre dos caminos en un país vecino sin nombre, nada de esto reconforta a Nazdana.
Ahora con solo 20 años, ha estado aquí durante un año, aferrando sus papeles de divorcio y esperando que alguien la ayude.
“He tocado muchas puertas pidiendo ayuda, incluyendo a la ONU, pero nadie ha escuchado mi voz”, dice.
“¿Dónde está el apoyo? ¿No merezco libertad como mujer?”
Nazdana dice que no fue escuchada por las autoridades judiciales talibanes que le pidieron que no visitara el tribunal porque es mujer.