In a shocking development, the Taliban government of Afghanistan has announced its decision to enforce the law of stoning women to death for rape. The announcement was made by the Taliban's supreme leader, Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada, in an audio message broadcast on state television. The Guardian reported this distressing information on Friday (March 29), stirring global condemnation and concern.

Safia Arefi, the head of the Afghan human rights organization Women's Window of Hope and a prominent lawyer, expressed grave concerns over the announcement, stating that it heralds a return to the darkest days of Taliban rule in the 1990s. She emphasized that the Taliban's decree marks the beginning of a new era of brutal punishment for Afghan women.

Akhundzada's statement regarding the implementation of the draconian law is deeply alarming. He asserted, "To those in the international community advocating for women's rights and decrying our enforcement of stoning women to death as a violation of those rights, I say this: We will swiftly carry out the punishment for women involved in cases of sexual harassment. Those found guilty of adultery will face public flogging, and we will publicly stone them to death."

The announcement has sparked widespread condemnation from human rights organizations and governments worldwide, who fear the grave implications of such barbaric laws on the rights and safety of Afghan women. As Afghanistan grapples with the resurgence of Taliban rule, concerns for the protection of women's rights and freedoms have intensified, prompting urgent calls for international intervention and advocacy.