Taliban force divorced Afghan child brides to return to their ex-husbands

Nazdana’s struggle for freedom under Taliban rule

At the tender age of seven, Nazdana was promised marriage to a farmer in order to reconcile feuding families.

After years of struggle, she successfully filed for divorce in the Afghan courts.

“The court congratulated me and said, ‘You are now separated and can marry whomever you want,'” Nazdana told the BBC.

However, her freedom was short-lived as her former husband appealed the divorce in 2021 under Taliban rule.

Taliban court overturns Afghan government’s divorce ruling

After Nazdana’s former husband’s appeal, the Taliban court banned her from representing herself, saying it violated Sharia law.

Instead, Nazdana’s brother Shams was forced to represent her.

“They told us that if we did not comply, they would forcibly hand my sister over to him (Hekmatullah),” Shams said.

The terror group relies largely on Hanafi fiqh (jurisprudence), a religious law that dates back to the 8th century but has been revised to “meet current needs.”

Nazdana and Shams flee Afghanistan after Taliban rule

Apparently, the Taliban-run court ruled in favor of Nazdana’s former husband, a registered member of the group.

After the Taliban court’s verdict, Nazdana and her brother Shams fled Afghanistan.

Nazdana, now 20, has asked various parties for help, including the United Nations.

“I knocked on many doors and asked for help… but no one heard my voice,” she said BBC.

“Where is the support? As a woman, don’t I deserve freedom?” she asked.