Kabul, Feb. 21 -- A new penal code introduced by the Taliban in Afghanistan permits husbands to physically punish their wives and children under certain conditions and establishes a tiered justice system based on social status.

The 90-page criminal procedure code, signed by Taliban supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada and distributed to courts across the country, allows physical punishment as long as it does not result in "broken bones or open wounds", according to reports by The Telegraph and The Independent.

Under the new framework, spousal violence is classified as "ta'zir", or discretionary punishment. Even when serious injury is proven, the maximum sentence for the husband is limited to 15 days in prison, the reports said.

The law...