Divorce, smartphones and control - BBC sees how Taliban run Afghanistan
A BBC report provides a rare look into the Taliban's governance in Afghanistan, highlighting the stark contrast between their claims of reform and the reality of their hard-line policies. The piece documents a divorce case where officials openly disparage women's intellect, underscoring the continued exclusion of women from public life.
Why it matters
It provides critical insight into the human rights situation and the day-to-day enforcement of Sharia law under the current Taliban regime.
Image caption, The governor of Jawzjan province, Abdullah Sarhadi, who fought for the Taliban was held in US detention in Guantanamo Bay for several years
Governor Abdullah Sarhadi gives money to treat a boy's broken arm and hands out funds for a local mosque - then, in his office in northern Afghanistan, an astonishing exchange unfolds.
A young woman tells the grey-bearded former Taliban commander that she wants to divorce her husband, who she accuses of months of abuse and beatings.
In a country where girls are banned from secondary education, the 18-year-old argues her case calmly and confidently, her face completely hidden behind a full-face veil and sunglasses.
"If there was any chance to live together, I wouldn't be here… I have taken my decision," she says.
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