Kabul (HRNW)- The Global Torture Index 2026, released by the World Organization Against Torture (OMCT), has placed Afghanistan in the “very high risk” category for torture, inhuman treatment and state repression.
According to the report and monitoring findings cited in the release, the number of female prisoners in Taliban custody reportedly increased from 840 in 2021 to 1,825 in 2025. It further states that approximately 23,000 people are currently being held in Taliban prisons and detention centers, resulting in a detention rate of 54 per 100,000 people. The report also claims that 52 percent of those detained have not yet been convicted of a crime.
According to the report, around 1,000 women, representing 4.3 percent of the total prison population, are being held in detention facilities reportedly operated by Taliban intelligence, the Ministry of Interior and officials responsible for the enforcement of moral regulations.
The report further cites independent monitoring organizations and United Nations missions, alleging that some female detainees have been subjected to physical abuse, electric shocks, flogging and sexual violence while lacking access to legal protections. These allegations have not been independently verified within this report.
The report also states that, following restrictions on women’s education, employment and movement without a male guardian, the detention of women over alleged moral offenses has become an increasing concern for international human rights organizations.
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