Investigation documents 231 violent deaths of women and girls in Afghanistan under Taliban rule
Journalists working covertly for the Afghan media outlet Zan Times have documented 231 violent deaths of women and girls in 10 of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces since the Taliban returned to power in August 2021, according to an investigation published by The Guardian. In 53 of those cases, authorities recorded suicide as the official cause of death despite relatives, witnesses and medical workers reporting evidence of violence.
Of the 231 women and girls whose deaths were documented, 165 were homemakers with no independent income and limited access to protection from domestic violence. The victims ranged in age from five to 65, and most died in their own homes.
The highest numbers of documented cases were recorded in Jowzjan province, with 36 deaths, followed by Herat with 32, Badakhshan with 28 and Ghazni with 26.
According to the investigation, suspects were arrested in only 58 cases — roughly one in four. Many were released soon afterward, in some instances as early as the following day. Journalists also identified cases in which relatives said women had died as a result of domestic violence but authorities officially classified their deaths as suicides.
One such case involved 33-year-old Liza Shams. Shortly before her death, Shams recorded voice messages describing repeated abuse by her husband, including beatings while she was pregnant. On February 1, neighbors reportedly heard her screaming. Relatives took her to hospital, where she died about an hour later.
Of the 231 women and girls whose deaths were documented, 165 were homemakers with no independent income and limited access to protection from domestic violence. The victims ranged in age from five to 65, and most died in their own homes.
The highest numbers of documented cases were recorded in Jowzjan province, with 36 deaths, followed by Herat with 32, Badakhshan with 28 and Ghazni with 26.
According to the investigation, suspects were arrested in only 58 cases — roughly one in four. Many were released soon afterward, in some instances as early as the following day. Journalists also identified cases in which relatives said women had died as a result of domestic violence but authorities officially classified their deaths as suicides.
One such case involved 33-year-old Liza Shams. Shortly before her death, Shams recorded voice messages describing repeated abuse by her husband, including beatings while she was pregnant. On February 1, neighbors reportedly heard her screaming. Relatives took her to hospital, where she died about an hour later.
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