The Taliban prohibits the audibility of women's voices singing or reciting in public settings.
The regulations were unveiled on Wednesday, having gained approval from supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, as reported by a government spokesperson. These regulations cover various aspects of daily life, such as public transportation, music, shaving, and celebrations.
Article 13 specifically focuses on women's conduct: It mandates that women must always cover their bodies in public and wear face veils to prevent temptation and enticing others. Clothing should not be revealing, form-fitting, or short.
Women are also expected to veil themselves in the presence of non-Muslim men and women, to protect themselves from corruption. Their voices are perceived as intimate and should not be heard in public while singing, reciting, or reading aloud. Women are discouraged from looking at men who are not related to them by blood or marriage, and the opposite is also true.
"By the grace of Allah, these Islamic laws will undoubtedly contribute to the promotion of virtue and the suppression of vice," proclaimed ministry spokesman Maulvi Abdul Ghafar Farooq on Thursday.
Official announcement of morality and immorality regulations
The 114-page, 35-article document, seen by The Associated Press, marks the first official announcement of morality and immorality regulations in Afghanistan since the Taliban seized power in 2021. Simultaneously, they established a ministry responsible for the "advancement of virtue and the prohibition of vice."
These new regulations grant the ministry authority to oversee personal conduct, impose penalties such as warnings or arrests if alleged violations are reported.
The regulations outlaw the publication of live images, posing a danger to an already unstable Afghan media landscape; prohibit music; ban solo female travel; and forbid unrelated men and women from mixing. The regulations also call for prayer breaks at designated times for passengers and drivers.
The ministry's website lists promotion of virtue as activities such as prayer, aligning Muslim character and behavior with Islamic law, encouraging hijab wear among women, and encouraging obedience to the five pillars of Islam. Eliminating vice, on the other hand, involves prohibiting activities forbidden by Islamic law.
Last month, a U.N. report stated that the ministry was fueling fear and intimidation among Afghans through edicts and pursuit methods.
It mentioned that the ministry's role was encroaching into other areas of public life, including media monitoring and combating drug addiction.
"Given the multiple issues outlined in the report, the Taliban's statement that this oversight will be increasing and expanding raises significant concerns for all Afghans, particularly women and girls," said Fiona Frazer, head of the Human Rights Service at the U.N. mission in Afghanistan.
The Taliban dismissed the U.N. report.
CNN's Jennifer Hauser contributed to this report
The new regulations in the Middle East, specifically in Afghanistan, are caused by the Taliban's seizure of power in 2021 and have a global impact. These strict rules are the first official announcement of morality and immorality regulations in the region since then, affecting various aspects of daily life throughout the world.
