The Taliban in Afghanistan have implemented strict new laws banning women’s voices and bare faces in public. The laws, approved by supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, aim to combat vice and promote virtue. The Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice has issued a 114-page document outlining the new regulations, covering aspects of daily life like public transportation, music, and celebrations.
Women are required to veil themselves at all times in public, covering their faces to avoid temptation. They are also prohibited from singing or speaking in public, and must avoid any interaction with unrelated men. The laws extend to banning the publication of images of living beings and prohibiting the playing of music.
The ministry is tasked with enforcing these laws, imposing punishments like warnings or arrest for violators. However, the United Nations has expressed concern about the ministry’s expanding role in monitoring media and addressing social issues like drug addiction.
Despite criticism from the U.N., the Taliban has rejected any opposition to their new laws, which they believe will promote Islamic values and eliminate vice in Afghan society.