Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban’s spokesperson, says criticism of the “Separation of Spouses” regulation is not new and should not be given importance.
Speaking on Wednesday, May 20, to National Television under Taliban control, Mujahid explained parts of the regulation, particularly the article related to the marriage of girls.
In the second chapter of the regulation, child marriage is recognized, and provisions regarding the annulment of child marriages and the authority to dissolve them are also discussed.
Article Four of the regulation states that if a person is absent and their family has no information about their whereabouts, a woman may request a divorce.
Article Five further states that if a person is considered “absent but not missing” and lives away from their family for a long period without providing financial support, the woman may request separation.
The Taliban also state in the regulation that if either the husband or wife leaves Islam, separation automatically occurs and does not require a ruling from a Taliban judge.
Other sections of the regulation address various religious jurisprudential issues that could lead to separation between spouses.
The regulation comes as the Taliban, since regaining control of Afghanistan, have introduced various decrees and regulations that have in many cases drawn domestic and international criticism.
