KABUL: Taliban Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada has directed Afghan officials to enforce a new morality law that restricts women’s rights and imposes strict social regulations. The law, which was announced last month, formalizes a set of rules aimed at shaping the vision of Islamic society.
The new law mandates that women must cover their entire body and face when outside their homes and should only leave home under specific, deemed necessary circumstances. Additionally, the law prohibits women from raising their voices in public. Men are also subject to the law’s restraints, which include prohibitions on wearing shorts above the knee and that beards must not be trimmed too closely.
The law enforces broader social norms, including mandatory prayer attendance, bans on keeping photographs of living beings, and prohibitions on activities such as animal fighting, public music, and celebrating non-Muslim holidays.
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The law also prescribes a range of punishments for violations, including verbal warnings, fines, and detentions of varying lengths, which will be administered by the newly empowered morality police.
Akhundzada issued this order during a rare trip to northern Afghanistan. Last week, he visited Faryab province, where he made the directive known, according to a statement from the Information and Culture Department of Faryab.
Roza Otunbayeva, the head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, described the law as a “distressing vision for Afghanistan’s future.” The UN and various rights groups have expressed concern over the law’s potential impact on human rights and the social fabric of Afghanistan.
