Taliban authorities in Afghanistan have issued a decree allowing husbands to physically discipline their wives, provided no bones are broken or lasting wounds inflicted, sparking widespread outrage.

• A husband causing severe injury, such as a broken bone or open wound, may face a limited punishment of 15 days' imprisonment.
• Taliban authorities issued the directive recently, marking the first time such punishments have been formally codified since their return to power in August 2021.
• Human rights groups like Rawadari and the United Nations have condemned the decree, with UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk calling it "legitimising violence against women and children."