KABUL, Aug 23 – The Taliban has officially enacted a comprehensive set of morality laws in Afghanistan, solidifying rules that require women to cover their faces and bodies, mandate men to grow beards, and prohibit drivers from playing music. These laws, based on a 2022 decree by the Taliban’s Supreme Spiritual Leader Haibatullah Akhundzada, were published as formal legislation by the Justice Ministry this week.
The new 35-article morality code will be enforced by the Ministry for the Prevention of Vice and Propagation of Virtue, which has already detained thousands for violating similar rules. The ministry’s role, now codified into law, includes ensuring adherence to Islamic Sharia by promoting good and forbidding evil.
Critics, including local women and international rights groups, have condemned these laws, arguing they further erode women’s rights and stifle freedom of expression. A Kabul resident, identified only as Halema, voiced her frustration, accusing the Taliban of trying to erase women from society, and lamented the international community’s silence.
Penalties under the new laws include a range of punitive measures such as verbal warnings, detention for up to three days, and other punishments deemed appropriate by authorities. The laws have drawn criticism from Western governments, particularly the United States, which have stated that the Taliban’s actions have stalled any progress towards formal international recognition.
Despite international pressure, the Taliban maintains that their laws respect women’s rights as interpreted through Islamic law and local customs, insisting that these are internal matters to be addressed without external interference. The latest legal codification further deepens the divide between the Taliban’s governance and the expectations of the global community.__Courtesy The Frontier Post
