A newly released international assessment has raised fresh concerns about conditions inside Taliban-run detention facilities, alleging widespread torture, arbitrary detention, and systematic mistreatment of prisoners across Afghanistan.
The Global Torture Index 2026, published by an international anti-torture organization, describes what it calls a deteriorating human rights environment under Taliban rule, citing reports of physical abuse, enforced disappearances, public punishments, and the absence of effective accountability mechanisms.
According to the report, detainees have allegedly been subjected to harsh treatment during interrogations and periods of detention, with some individuals reportedly held for extended periods in metal containers under inadequate conditions, including limited access to food and water.
The assessment highlights concerns regarding arbitrary arrests and claims that individuals continue to be detained without judicial warrants for a variety of reasons, including alleged violations of Taliban-imposed social and religious regulations. The report states that men have reportedly been detained over grooming requirements, while women have faced detention-related restrictions linked to Taliban regulations governing movement and public conduct.
The report also points to what it describes as the erosion of judicial safeguards, alleging that legal protections and due process mechanisms have been significantly weakened since the Taliban returned to power. It further references concerns regarding corporal punishment, public punishments, restrictions on freedom of expression and assembly, and the treatment of ethnic and religious minorities.
According to the findings, allegations of torture and ill-treatment have become recurring features of detention practices, while limited oversight and the absence of independent accountability structures have made investigations and prosecutions rare.
The report additionally alleges that physical abuse, beatings, and enforced disappearances remain prevalent. In some cases, it claims that detainees have disappeared for extended periods without information being provided to their families.
Security operations and searches conducted by Taliban authorities, including residential raids in various provinces, were also highlighted as areas of concern.
The findings come amid a growing body of reports from former detainees, activists, and rights advocates describing conditions inside Taliban detention facilities.
Several former prisoners and family members interviewed in recent months have alleged that detainees were subjected to coercion, mistreatment, and pressure to provide confessions while in custody. Similar claims have been made by former civil society activists and political detainees who say they continue to experience psychological effects long after their release.
The report also draws attention to broader concerns regarding the treatment of women and girls in Afghanistan. International bodies have repeatedly warned that restrictive policies, combined with weak accountability mechanisms, have increased vulnerabilities for women and reduced avenues for legal protection.
Recent assessments by international organizations have likewise expressed concern over reports of sexual violence, abuse, and other serious human rights violations, urging greater scrutiny of conditions inside detention facilities and stronger safeguards for vulnerable populations.
The Global Torture Index evaluated dozens of countries for risks associated with torture and ill-treatment. In its assessment of Afghanistan, the report concludes that concerns regarding arbitrary detention, prison conditions, and allegations of abuse remain among the most significant human rights challenges facing the country.
The Taliban have previously rejected many international human rights criticisms and maintained that their institutions operate in accordance with Islamic principles and Afghan law. However, rights organizations continue to call for independent monitoring, greater transparency, and accountability regarding allegations of torture and mistreatment in detention facilities.
