Former CIA Officer Publishes Photos of Taliban Officials’ Wives in Protest Against Afghan Women’s Photo Ban

Kokcha News Agency: In a bold move to protest the Taliban’s recent decision to ban women’s photos in Afghan identity documents, former CIA officer Sarah Adams has launched a campaign called “Housewives of the Taliban.” Through this campaign, Adams has shared images of the wives of several Taliban officials from their diplomatic passports on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter).

Adams explained that her actions are a direct response to the Taliban’s new policy, which prohibits women from having their photos on national ID cards and other official documents. She stated, “If Afghan women are not allowed to have their photos on their ID cards and other official documents, then the wives of Taliban officials should not have their photos on their passports, marriage certificates, or any official documents either.”

Earlier this week, reports emerged that Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada had issued an oral decree banning the inclusion of women’s photos in identity documents. This decision has sparked widespread criticism both domestically and internationally.

In her series of posts, Adams shared images of women whose husbands hold diplomatic positions for the Taliban in countries such as Russia, Iran, Kazakhstan, and Quetta, Pakistan. She criticized the fact that some countries have allowed the Taliban to establish official representations while Afghan women are effectively imprisoned in their own homes.

Adams emphasized, “These women are not innocent bystanders; they are the wives of men who benefit from the Taliban regime and travel freely alongside them, while Afghan women are deprived of the most basic rights.”

She warned that as long as the Taliban does not reverse its decision to ban women’s photos in official documents, the publication of images of Taliban officials’ wives will continue.

However, in a recent development, the Taliban’s Darul Ifta (Islamic legal council) issued a ruling stating that including women’s photos in ID cards is optional. According to this decision, only Afghan women residing abroad are “required” to have their photos on their IDs.

Previously, the Taliban’s National Statistics and Information Authority had argued that including photos in ID cards was essential for identity verification, preventing fraud and corruption, facilitating travel, and adhering to international standards. However, it appears that this request was not approved by the Taliban’s leadership.