The Afghan government has confirmed a new Taliban law against women freedom of speech in the country. Now, the Taliban have approved a law for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice that makes it mandatory for women to wear a veil to cover their faces and also condemns the sound of a woman’s voice in public as a breach of modesty, implementing the most rigorous interpretation of Islamic law.
The New Taliban Ban Women From Speaking in Public
The 35-article law contains four chapters that address issues such as the full veil for women (hijab), men’s clothing and media regulations. “According to this law, the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice is obliged to enjoin good and forbid evil and is also responsible for peace and brotherhood among the people,” said Justice Ministry spokesman Barkatullah Rasooli in a statement published today by the Afghan channel Tolo News.
As of today, this is how women must dress in Afghanistan, according to the Taliban’s Supreme Leader.
The following rules are now in effect: The full face must be covered—no hands, nothing visible. The black veil was presented as a “recommendation” a year ago, now it is the law. pic.twitter.com/GmqupXlJms
— Sara Wahedi (@SaraWahedi) August 22, 2024
In addition, the feared Ministry must “prevent people from participating in ethnic, linguistic and regional prejudices.” In the article that refers to the hijab, the norm establishes that it is necessary for women to cover their face and body to avoid “causing temptation,” and to avoid the sound of women’s raised voices in public, including singing, reciting, or speaking in front of microphones.
The new Taliban law also prohibits drivers from transporting adult women without a legal male guardian. “Implementation of sharia and hijab is our red line. We cannot negotiate with anyone on these matters,” Minister of Virtue and Vice Mohammad Khalid Hanafi said in a meeting with authorities, according to the Tolo News report.
For men, Article 22 prohibits or condemns wearing a tie, shaving or trimming a beard below the length of a fist, or combing one’s hair, as violations of Islamic law. The new Taliban law also has general provisions on the media and its obligation to conform to sharia, and a ban on “humiliating or insulting Muslims” as well as including images of living beings.
Taliban Ruthless Law
According to the new Taliban law is in accordance with Islamic sharia and Hanafi, one of the four main schools of Sunni Islamic jurisprudence. Although some analysts believe the Taliban do not follow a specific school of law, their interpretations and application of Islamic law are largely based on Hanafi, which is a stricter and more fundamentalist approach.
Although many of the prohibitions related to women or clothing have been implemented in the country since the Taliban returned to power exactly three years ago, this law assumes uniformity and rigor of punishment to enforce its compliance.
