The World Torture Report 2026 has reported a sharp increase in the number of female prisoners in Afghanistan over the past four years, warning of a deterioration in the country’s human rights situation.
According to the report, the number of women imprisoned in Afghanistan rose from 840 in 2021 to 1,825 in 2025. The figures indicate that the number of female prisoners more than doubled during this period.
The World Organisation Against Torture stated in its report that women and girls in Afghanistan continue to face extensive and systemic restrictions in areas including education, employment, freedom of movement, and participation in social and public life.
The report also expressed concern over the situation of detainees, their conditions in prisons, and limited access to fair judicial proceedings. It emphasized that the continuation of such conditions constitutes a serious violation of fundamental human rights.
The organisation called on the international community and global institutions to take effective measures to improve the human rights situation in Afghanistan and to support the rights of women and prisoners.
The report comes amid repeated warnings from human rights organizations in recent years about increasing restrictions on Afghan women and girls and their impact on basic freedoms and human dignity.
Writer:Salima Aryaei
