Kabul: The Taliban introduced a new regulation regarding the “Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice,” enforcing its version of sharia law on the Afghan population. It prohibits women from displaying any part of their bodies or faces in public, in addition to muting their voices. It also aims to control various aspects of everyday life, including music, games, travel, attire, and sexual activities.
What Is The law?
The 114-page publication in the official gazette specifies that women need to conceal their whole bodies and faces "because of the concern about temptation" when around men they are not related to, as well as non-Muslim and "immoral" women. A woman's voice during singing, chanting, or reciting aloud is considered awrah or intimate and should not be heard. If a mature woman has to leave her home, she must hide her voice, face, and body; failure to do so will result in punishment. Men and women who are not related are prohibited from making eye contact.
Men are required to let their beards grow and are prohibited from wearing neckties or having Western-style haircuts. Every type of entertainment and game, including classic children's games like marbles or walnuts, are prohibited due to being seen as gambling. Travel should be organised in a way that doesn't interfere with prayer times, and drivers are not allowed to transport unaccompanied women without a male guardian.
The morality police, known as Muhtasib, have the authority to administer punishment, such as imprisonment for up to three days, at their discretion. They have the power to make individuals respect Islamic symbols, and investigate phones and laptops for any pictures of living creatures. They can also make sure that no women's voices or music come from households or gatherings.
When Was The Law Introduced?
Several regulations are currently implemented in Afghanistan, either announced by Taliban decrees in the last three years or enforced irregularly by local authorities. Observers are concerned that the formal establishment of these "morality laws" may result in harsher penalties and empower the Muhtasib further.
An examination of Afghan history reveals the severe backwardness of these laws. Women in Afghanistan were given the privilege to vote in 1919, preceding the U.S. by a year. The country experienced a push for modernisation in the 1920s, including changes in clothing and educational options, driven by the royal family, which resulted in opposition from conservative groups.
Between the 1960s and the 1980s, women's rights and involvement in public life grew, starting among urban upper class individuals but also reaching some rural areas. Women took on roles as ministers and judges, doctors and diplomats, singers, and entertainers. The initial period of the Taliban, lasting from 1996 to 2001, was a harsh surprise, enforcing sharia law and regressing women to medieval times. In the twenty years prior to the return of the Taliban to power, a fresh group of young women came of age with the opportunity to learn and work freely, with some wishing for a shift in the Taliban's ideology.
How Are Afghan Women Reacting?
Several Afghan women have disobeyed the prohibition on speaking out in public by sharing videos on social platforms of themselves singing, despite being fully covered in black attire and veiled faces. Some people can be observed with their fists raised. Ms. Koofi told CNN that some individuals have protested in the streets, suggesting that a minority no longer value their lives and are willing to risk everything.
