Taliban bans women's voice, bare faces in public: Here is a list of other bans on women under new laws in Afghanistan

In a move to further tighten social restrictions, Afghanistan's Taliban rulers have implemented a controversial ban on women’s voices and bare faces in public, introduced under a new set of regulations aimed at promoting virtue and combating vice. 

The directives were approved by supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada and were made public by a government spokesman on Wednesday, according to newswire Associated Press. This move follows the establishment of a ministry dedicated to the “propagation of virtue and the prevention of vice” after the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan in 2021. 

The newly released 114-page document outlines 35 articles on vice and virtue laws and addresses various aspects of daily life, including public transportation, music, personal grooming, and celebrations. This marks the first formal issuance of such regulations since the Taliban takeover.

"Inshallah, we assure you that this Islamic law will greatly aid in promoting virtue and eliminating vice," stated Maulvi Abdul Ghafar Farooq, spokesman for the ministry, during a press briefing on Thursday.

The regulations empower the ministry to oversee personal conduct and enforce compliance through warnings and arrests for alleged violations. 

Key provisions of Article 13 require women to-

- cover their bodies in public 

- mandating face coverings to avoid any temptation

- women must wear clothing that is not thin, tight, or short

- they are obliged to cover themselves in the presence of non-Muslim males and females

- no singing, reciting, or reading aloud in public (as their voices are considered intimate)

- it prohibits women from looking at men to whom they are not related and vice versa

Another law, article 17, imposes a ban on publishing images of living beings, further threatening Afghanistan’s already fragile media landscape. 

Moreover, Article 19 prohibits

- the playing of music 

- the transportation of solo female travellers

- the mingling of unrelated men and women.

The decree mandates that passengers and drivers perform prayers at designated times.

According to the ministry’s website, the promotion of virtue involves ensuring adherence to prayer and Islamic law and the encouragement of women to wear hijabs, alongside ensuring compliance with the five pillars of Islam. The regulations also aim to eliminate activities deemed forbidden by Islamic law.

A recent United Nations report highlighted the climate of fear and intimidation fostered by the ministry's orders and enforcement methods. The report indicated that the ministry's role has expanded into monitoring media and addressing issues like drug addiction. 

(With agency inputs)