The Taliban Publish Vice Laws That Ban Women’s Voices And Bare Faces In Public

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers person issued a prohibition connected women’s voices and bare faces successful nationalist nether caller laws approved by nan ultimate leader successful efforts to combat vice and beforehand virtue.

The laws were issued Wednesday aft they were approved by ultimate leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, a authorities spokesperson said. The Taliban had group up a ministry for nan “propagation of kindness and nan prevention of vice” aft seizing powerfulness successful 2021.

The ministry published its vice and kindness laws connected Wednesday that screen aspects of mundane life for illustration nationalist transportation, music, shaving and celebrations.

They are group retired successful a 114-page, 35-article archive seen by The Associated Press and are nan first general declaration of vice and kindness laws successful Afghanistan since nan takeover.

“Inshallah we guarantee you that this Islamic rule will beryllium of awesome thief successful nan promotion of kindness and nan elimination of vice,” said ministry spokesperson Maulvi Abdul Ghafar Farooq connected Thursday.

The laws empower nan ministry to beryllium astatine nan frontline of regulating individual conduct, administering punishments for illustration warnings aliases apprehension if enforcers allege that Afghans person surgery nan laws.

Article 13 relates to women. It says it is mandatory for a female to veil her assemblage astatine each times successful nationalist and that a look covering is basal to debar enticement and tempting others. Clothing should not beryllium thin, tight aliases short.

Women are obliged to screen themselves successful beforehand of non-Muslim males and females to debar being corrupted. A woman’s sound is deemed friendly and truthful should not beryllium heard singing, reciting, aliases reference aloud successful public. It is forbidden for women to look astatine men they are not related to by humor aliases matrimony and vice versa.

Article 17 bans nan publication of images of surviving beings, threatening an already vulnerable Afghan media landscape.

Article 19 bans nan playing of music, nan proscription of solo female travelers, and nan mixing of men and women who are not related to each other. The rule besides obliges passengers and drivers to execute prayers astatine designated times.

According to nan ministry website, nan promotion of kindness includes prayer, aligning nan characteristic and behaviour of Muslims pinch Islamic law, encouraging women to deterioration hijab, and inviting group to comply pinch nan 5 pillars of Islam. It besides says nan elimination of vice involves prohibiting group from doing things forbidden by Islamic law.

Last month, a U.N. report said nan ministry was contributing to a ambiance of fearfulness and intimidation among Afghans done edicts and nan methods utilized to enforce them.

It said nan ministry’s domiciled was expanding into different areas of nationalist life, including media monitoring and eradicating supplier addiction.

“Given nan aggregate issues outlined successful nan report, nan position expressed by nan de facto authorities that this oversight will beryllium expanding and expanding gives origin for important interest for each Afghans, particularly women and girls,” said Fiona Frazer, nan caput of nan quality authorities work astatine nan U.N. ngo successful Afghanistan.

The Taliban rejected nan U.N. report.

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