Afghanistan Taliban prohibit women from singing and reading aloud in public

The Taliban in Afghanistan prohibit women from singing or reciting in public, and they must also completely veil themselves in the presence of foreign men. This is stipulated in a new so-called virtue law, which was signed by the supreme leader of the militant Islamists, Hibatullah Achundsada, as announced by the Ministry of Justice.

The regulations are intended to enforce the strict guidelines of the so-called morality police. According to these rules, women must cover their faces and bodies in the presence of men who are not related to them. A woman's voice is considered intimate, so they are also forbidden to sing, read aloud or recite in public. Men are required by law to keep their beards and pants short.

Homosexuality and music are also prohibited

Other prohibitions for men and women include homosexuality, music and extramarital relationships. These regulations are not new; they already existed as guidelines from the Ministry of Virtue. Now the Ministry of Justice has put them in writing and tasked the Ministry of Virtue with enforcing them. According to observers, it remains to be seen how consistently the rules will actually be enforced.

When they came to power again in August 2021, the Taliban had promised a more moderate form of government. However, their government is extremely authoritarian. Internationally, they are criticized above all for their massive curtailment of women's rights.