Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers have introduced new, highly restrictive laws aimed at curbing women’s freedoms, particularly their public presence and voices. The latest decree, which further tightens the Taliban’s control over everyday life, was issued by supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada and unveiled on Wednesday, drawing widespread international condemnation.
Among the most controversial of these new rules is a ban on women’s public speaking, including singing, reciting, or reading aloud in any capacity. This effectively silences women in all public spaces, reinforcing the Taliban’s interpretation of modesty, which views a woman’s voice as “too intimate” to be heard by men who are not close relatives.
Stricter dress codes and public restrictions
The 114-page document outlining the vice and virtue laws introduces a range of stringent new measures that extend well beyond speech. Article 13 mandates that women must cover their entire bodies, including their faces, with clothing that is neither thin nor form-fitting. The regulations specify that women must also cover themselves in front of non-Muslim men and women, citing the need to prevent “corruption.”
The laws also ban women from looking at men who are not immediate family members, and vice versa, further limiting interactions between the genders in public spaces. These rules are part of the Taliban’s broader effort to enforce their interpretation of Sharia law, which they claim will promote virtue and eliminate vice.
“Inshallah, we assure you that this Islamic law will greatly help in promoting virtue and eliminating vice,” said Maulvi Abdul Ghafar Farooq, a spokesman for the Taliban’s Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, in a statement on Thursday.
Expanded vice and virtue enforcement
These new laws represent the Taliban’s first formal declaration of vice and virtue regulations since they regained power in 2021. The Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice will enforce the rules, granting it broad powers to administer punishments, ranging from warnings to arrests, for violations of the laws. The ministry also has the authority to oversee public morality, including media content, and its mandate now includes a ban on images of living beings, music, and the transportation of solo female travelers.
The laws also require that all passengers and drivers in public transportation vehicles stop and perform prayers at designated times. These new restrictions are seen as a continuation of the Taliban’s efforts to reshape Afghan society according to their strict interpretation of Islamic law.
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International concerns and criticism
The United Nations (UN) and other international organizations have expressed grave concerns over the impact these laws will have on Afghan society, particularly on women and girls. A recent UN report criticized the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice for fostering a climate of fear and intimidation in Afghanistan through these harsh edicts.
Fiona Frazer, head of the UN’s human rights service in Afghanistan, warned that the Taliban’s growing influence over public life is alarming. “Given the multiple issues outlined in the report, the position expressed by the de facto authorities that this oversight will be increasing and expanding gives cause for significant concern for all Afghans, especially women and girls,” Frazer stated.
However, the Taliban dismissed the UN’s findings, insisting that their laws are designed to uphold Islamic values and are in the best interests of the Afghan people.
The Taliban’s new laws mark a troubling development for women’s rights in Afghanistan, further restricting their participation in public life. The ban on women’s voices in public spaces, along with the imposition of strict dress codes and gender segregation, underscores the Taliban’s intent to institutionalize their interpretation of Islamic law. The international community, including the UN, continues to call for greater protections for Afghan women, but the Taliban remains steadfast in its approach, dismissing outside criticism.
