Prostitution in Afghanistan

Prostitution in Afghanistan is illegal, with punishments ranging from 5 to 15 years imprisonment. Despite being deeply religious and one of the most conservative countries in the world, where sex outside marriage is against the law, some prostitution activities are reported in the capital Kabul as well as in the Mazar-e-Sharif area in the north of the country. Females from Iran, Tajikistan, China, and possibly Uganda and other countries are imported for prostitution into Afghanistan. According to the Afghan Interior Ministry's department of sexual crimes, about 2 to 3 prostitution arrests were made each week in the nation between 2007 and 2008.

Prostitution also existed under the former Taliban regime, which was a government that followed a very strict interpretation of the Islamic Sharia law. Melissa Ditmore reports in Encyclopedia of Prostitution and Sex Work that during their rule the traffic in women for prostitution thrived. Prostitutes mostly worked from their houses termed as Qalas and in Kabul there were 25 to 30 hidden brothels.