British author Karen Bartlett has won the 2026 Orwell Prize for Politics for Escape From Kabul, which tells the true story of the rescue of nearly 200 Afghan women judges and their families after the Taliban returned to power in 2021.
In a statement released alongside the award, the Orwell Foundation said Afghan women judges had played a vital role over the past two decades in tackling corruption and handling cases involving violence against women and children. However, after the withdrawal of Western forces and the Taliban’s return to power, their lives were placed at grave risk, as the Taliban released thousands of prisoners, including people convicted by those same judges.
Accepting the award, Bartlett said being shortlisted had come as a surprise and that the honour belonged to Afghanistan’s women judges, whom she described as extraordinarily brave.
She also criticised the situation in Afghanistan, saying that while she was able to live and write freely in Britain, Afghan women and girls had been deprived of basic rights, including access to work, education and freedom of movement.
Rohan Silva, chair of the Orwell Prize judges, praised the book, published by Duckworth Books, for its powerful storytelling, deep empathy, and clear prose. He said it had succeeded in bringing global attention to an important story, highlighting in particular the experiences of Reyhana Atayi, who served as a judge in Nangarhar under dangerous and difficult conditions.
Status of the Evacuated Women Judges
According to the International Association of Women Judges, which coordinated the rescue and relocation effort, nearly 180 of Afghanistan’s approximately 260 women judges have so far been evacuated with their families to safe countries.
They are now living in countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, Australia, Brazil and several other European nations. Canada accepted 40 families under its government refugee resettlement programme, with most now living in Toronto and surrounding areas.
However, official reports indicate that around 45 women judges remain in precarious circumstances. Some are hiding inside Afghanistan, while others are living in Pakistan with expired visas and fear deportation.
Taliban Policies Against Women
After returning to power, the Taliban dismantled Afghanistan’s previous judicial system and removed all women judges from their positions.
Over the past five years, the group has issued dozens of restrictive decrees banning girls from education beyond the sixth grade and university, while imposing sweeping restrictions on women's employment.
Women in Afghanistan are now barred from working in government institutions, non-governmental organisations and UN offices, as well as from entering many public places, including parks, recreational areas and sports stadiums. Many international organisations and human rights advocates describe these policies as a form of gender apartheid.
