The core premise of a penal code in any state is simple yet profound: bring uniformity, fairness and predictability to the application of criminal law. This penal code reinforces a system in which women’s autonomy and basic freedoms are subordinated, deepening a crisis that has seen vast numbers of girls barred from education and women from meaningful participation in society. From Geneva to Kabul, observers have repudiated the penal code. The penal code declares that power, not justice, will be the defining metric of law in Afghanistan. Afghanistan today faces not just political isolation, but a profound moral crisis — one that this new penal code only deepens.

Source: The Patriot January 31, 2026 23:45 UTC