Afghan women in Taliban-controlled areas are facing new restrictions, with a government minister stating that they are forbidden from praying loudly or reciting the Quran in front of other women. This latest prohibition is part of morality laws that already limit women’s freedoms, including banning them from raising their voices and showing their faces outside the home. Additionally, women are excluded from education after sixth grade, many public spaces, and most jobs.
Vice and Virtue Minister Khalid Hanafi announced the new restriction during an event in Logar province, stating that it is not allowed for a grown woman to recite Quranic verses or perform recitations in front of another grown woman. Even religious expressions like “Allahu Akbar” and “subhanallah” are prohibited, as well as performing the call to prayer or singing. The ministry later shared audio of Hanafi’s remarks on social media platforms, but it was later deleted.
The Taliban’s Vice and Virtue Ministry is implementing a nationwide awareness program about the morality laws, with officials at provincial and district levels involved in organizing the programs. The ministry believes that such initiatives will help shape public perception and increase awareness of divine rulings. The enforcement of morality laws has also led to provincial restrictions on media, prohibiting the showing of images of living things.
Since the Taliban seized power in 2021, they have established the ministry for the “propagation of virtue and the prevention of vice.” This ministry has been enforcing decrees issued by the Taliban leadership, which disproportionately impact women and girls. These decrees include dress codes, segregated education and employment, and the requirement for women to have a male guardian when they travel. The continued restrictions have raised concerns about the erosion of women’s rights and freedoms in Afghanistan under Taliban rule.
