By Spy Uganda Correspondent
The Taliban’s Ministry for the Prevention of Vice and Propagation of Virtue has dismissed over 280 security force members for failing to grow a beard and has detained more than 13,000 people in Afghanistan over “immoral acts” in the past year, officials announced on Tuesday.
In its annual update, the ministry revealed that approximately half of those detained were released within 24 hours. The ministry did not specify the nature of the alleged offenses or the gender of the detainees.
Mohibullah Mokhlis, Director of Planning and Legislation at the ministry, announced at a press conference that 21,328 musical instruments were destroyed over the past year, and thousands of computer operators were prevented from selling “immoral and unethical” films. He also noted that 281 security force members were dismissed for not adhering to the beard requirement, in accordance with their interpretation of Islamic law.
The ministry, which took over the former women’s ministry’s premises in Kabul after the Taliban’s 2021 takeover, has faced criticism from human rights organizations and the United Nations for its restrictions on women and its limitations on freedom of expression.
The UN mission in Afghanistan has documented instances where morality ministry officials have detained women for not complying with their interpretation of Islamic dress codes, sometimes for several hours. The Taliban, however, dismisses these allegations as “baseless,” asserting that their rules are based on their interpretation of Islamic law and Afghan customs.
The ministry did not provide specific figures related to the enforcement of women’s attire or their travel without a male guardian, which is also restricted for longer distances. Mokhlis mentioned that a new plan is being developed to ensure compliance with Islamic dress codes, overseen by the supreme spiritual leader in Kandahar. “Based on the guidance of the Supreme Leader, a draft plan for observing women’s hijab has been formulated and approved,” Mokhlis said.
Previously, the ministry stated that women should cover their faces or wear a full burqa, with enforcement focusing on “encouragement” through their male family members rather than direct action against women.
While most Afghan women covered their hair in public before the Taliban’s return, some, particularly in Kabul, did not usually cover their faces or wear a burqa. Mokhlis also stated that the ministry had prevented just over 200 cases of the sale of women and over 2,600 cases of violence against women.
