New Taliban Laws Ban Women’s Voices and Bare Faces in Public, Enforcing Strict Control
Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers have implemented strict new laws targeting women’s public presence, aiming to combat what they deem immoral behaviour and promote virtue. Following the Taliban takeover in 2021, these new Taliban laws are the first official statement of virtue and vice regulations, ratified by supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada.
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The Taliban established a ministry tasked with “propagation of virtue and the prevention of vice” shortly after seizing power. These rules, which address a variety of daily activities like celebrations, music, public transit, and shaving, are now enforceable by this ministry. Violations can result in warnings, arrests, and other forms of punishment.
New Taliban Laws Ban Women’s Voices and Faces, Imposing Severe Restrictions and Fueling Fear in Afghanistan
One of the most restrictive aspects of these laws is the requirement for women to cover their bodies and faces in public. Article 13 mandates that women must wear clothing that is neither thin, tight, nor short to avoid tempting others. Furthermore, women are not allowed to sing, recite poetry, or read aloud in public since their voices are considered personal.
Further restrictions include bans on women looking at men to whom they are not related, the prohibition of images of living beings, and the forbidding of solo female travel. These laws, enforced by the Taliban’s ministry, are contributing to an atmosphere of fear and intimidation, particularly for women and girls in Afghanistan.
