Laws Passed by Taliban Ban Women from Speaking or Showing Their Faces in Public
The fundamentalist regime recently celebrated three years in control of the country following the US withdrawal in 2021.
The Taliban have banned women’s voices and bare faces in public under new laws to combat vice and promote virtue in Afghanistan.
The laws were implemented after approval from the country’s supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, according to a government spokesman.
The Islamic fundamentalist group, which has been in power for three years, established a ministry for the “propagation of virtue and the prevention of vice” after taking over following the US forces’ withdrawal in 2021.
The new laws touch on various aspects of daily life, including public transport, music, shaving, and celebrations.
These laws, detailed in a 114-page, 35-article document, mark the first formal acknowledgment of vice and virtue laws in Afghanistan since the regime change as reported by the Associated Press.
Forbidden to Look at Men
The laws put the ministry in charge of regulating personal conduct and enforcing punishments for violations.
Article 13 focuses on women, mandating veiling in public at all times and requiring face coverings to avoid temptation. It also specifies modest clothing requirements.
Additionally, female voices are considered intimate and should not be heard singing or speaking aloud in public. Women are also prohibited from making eye contact with unrelated men.
Article 17 prohibits the publication of images of living beings, while Article 19 bans music, solo female travel, and mixed-gender interactions among unrelated individuals.
Climate of Fear and Intimidation
A recent U.N. report highlighted the ministry’s role in creating a climate of fear and intimidation through enforcement methods and edicts, expanding into media monitoring and combating drug addiction.
The report expressed concern, especially for women and girls, given the multifaceted issues outlined and the ministry’s increasing oversight efforts.
The U.N. official Fiona Frazer urged caution, noting the Taliban’s rejection of the report.
Furthermore, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) found that the Taliban had deliberately deprived 1.4 million Afghan girls of education since regaining power.
Afghanistan currently stands as the only country where females are barred from secondary education and universities based on the Taliban’s interpretation of Sharia law.
UNESCO warns that this policy puts an entire generation’s future at risk due to lack of education opportunities.
Contributions by the Associated Press.
