LONDON: British author Karen Bartlett has won the 2026 Orwell Prize for Politics for Escape From Kabul, a book documenting the rescue of nearly 200 Afghan women judges and their families after the Taliban returned to power in 2021.
The Orwell Foundation said the book highlighted the courage of Afghan women judges who had spent years tackling corruption and presiding over cases involving violence against women and children.
After the Taliban takeover, their lives came under serious threat as thousands of prisoners were released, including individuals convicted by the same judges.
Accepting the award, Bartlett said the honour belonged to Afghanistan’s women judges, whom she described as extraordinarily brave.
She also criticised the Taliban’s restrictions on women, saying Afghan women and girls had been deprived of basic rights, including education, employment and freedom of movement.
Rohan Silva, chair of the Orwell Prize judges, praised the book for its powerful storytelling, empathy and clear prose. He said the work had brought global attention to an important story, including the experience of Reyhana Atayi, who served as a judge in Nangarhar under dangerous conditions.
According to the International Association of Women Judges, nearly 180 of Afghanistan’s around 260 women judges have been evacuated with their families to safe countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Germany and Australia.
