Continuing story · 1 report

Taliban Decree on Silence as Marriage Consent

First aired August 14, 2026 at 7:25 PM UTCLatest aired August 14, 2026 at 7:25 PM UTC

Gone quiet since Oct 16 UTC

Where it stands

As of August 14, 2026, the Taliban’s decree under Amir Hibatullah Akhundzada treats a girl’s silence as consent to marriage. The report says the rule effectively legalizes child marriage; it does not report any change to the decree, so whether it remains in force is still open.

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Update 1Aug 14 19:25 UTCTaliban Decree: Silence Now Counts as Consent for Marriage

The story so far

Update 1Aug 14 19:25 UTC
Taliban Decree: Silence Now Counts as Consent for Marriage
A 31-article Taliban marriage code treats a virgin's silence as consent and traps girls in marriages they never affirmatively chose.
Still open after this report
- No public full text, official translation, codified age threshold, or enforcement guidance has been verified.
- No reliable prevalence data shows how child marriage has changed since early May 2026.

History

Aug 14 UTC
Opened1 report

Who's involved

People

Hibatullah AkhundzadaSupreme Leader of Afghanistan since 20211 report

Places

AfghanistanAfghanistan1 report
KabulKabul, Afghanistan1 report
KandaharKandahar, Afghanistan1 report

Every outlet we read on this story

11 sources10 outlets1 video

The Times of Indiaindiatimes.com2
1. Afghanistan Child Marriage: 'Silence of virgin girl can be treated as consent': Taliban formally recognises child marriage with special rules in Afghanistan
2. Taliban Child Marriage Laws: Virgin's silence is consent: Taliban faces backlash for 'legitimising' new child marriage laws in Afghanistan
afghanstudiescenter.org1
1. Codifying Control: Taliban’s Anti-Women Decrees - Afghan Studies Center
Audacyaudacy.com1
1. UN gravely concerned by an Afghan Taliban law that has provisions on child marriage
BBC Newsbbc.com1
1. Afghan women tell the BBC their lives are unrecognisable after five years of Taliban rule
Equality Nowequalitynow.org1
1. 5 years of Taliban rule: Generations of progress erased for women and girls
HeyDay News11 video
1. Taliban Decree: Silence Now Counts as Consent for Marriagevideo
memri.org1
1. Afghan Taliban's 'Code On Judicial Separation Of Spouses' Upholds Shari'a Law Allowing Marriage Of Pre-Pubescent Girls, Seeks To Prevent Dissolution Of Marriage If Married Off By Father Or Grandfather, Permits Dissolution Only If Married Off By 'Wali [Guardian]' | MEMRI
NBC Newsnbcnews.com1
1. In Afghanistan, the Taliban have a powerful new tool in their quest for total social control
policyeast.com1
1. Afghanistan's Decree No. 18 and Women's Rights - PolicyEast
the Guardiantheguardian.com1
1. ‘I don’t know how to save my daughter from her husband’: the brutal reality of the Taliban’s new marriage law | Women's rights and gender equality