Afghan women face abuse under Taliban’s anti-begging crackdown, report says

Destitute Afghan women arrested under the Taliban’s harsh anti-begging laws have reported suffering rape, torture, and forced labor in detention, The Guardian said yesterday.

Many were detained while begging for food to support their children, as they have no access to paid work since the Taliban banned women from most jobs following their takeover in 2021.

The anti-begging law, introduced in May, prohibits “healthy people” from begging if they possess enough money for one day’s food.

Nearly 60,000 beggars have been detained in Kabul alone, according to Taliban officials. Detainees are classified into categories like “professional” or “destitute,” with biometric data collected, the British news outlet said.