The Taliban in Afghanistan is aggressively moving to enforce strict Sharia law across the country, including imposing a ban on images of humans and animals in the media. Despite initially claiming to be more moderate after seizing power in 2021, the group has escalated restrictions, such as removing images of women from public spaces and prohibiting “immoral” films and musical instruments.
Officials like Saiful Islam Khyber have emphasized the gradual implementation of these laws without coercion, focusing on persuading people that depicting living things goes against Islamic principles. While some provinces have started enforcing restrictions, Afghan authorities and media continue to post photos of people despite the regulations.
The Taliban, which ruled Afghanistan during the 1990s and was later ousted by the US-led invasion in 2001, regained control in 2021, prompting President Ashraf Ghani to flee. Although the Taliban government lacks UN recognition, it maintains ties with countries like Russia.
This relentless push for a strict interpretation of Sharia law in Afghanistan reflects the Taliban’s determination to assert its authority and ideology on the country.