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The Taliban recently ratified a new morality law in Afghanistan that introduces strict regulations on behavior and lifestyle. This law, which codifies many existing restrictions, has sparked significant concern due to its impact on daily life, particularly for women.
Here are key points to understand about this new legislation:
1. The law contains 35 articles that outline detailed behavior and lifestyle restrictions based on the Taliban’s interpretation of Islamic law.
2. Violations of the law can result in verbal warnings, threats, fines, and varying lengths of detention. These penalties are enforced by the morality police, a group tasked with monitoring compliance.
3. The law imposes severe restrictions on women, including mandatory coverage of their faces and bodies when outside and prohibitions on their voices being heard publicly. This is part of a broader pattern of limiting women’s public roles and freedoms.
4. The law includes specific rules such as penalizing individuals for being late to prayers, interacting with non-family members of the opposite sex, or possessing personal photos.
5. The law restricts media content, banning anything that opposes Sharia law or depicts living beings. This limits press freedom and religious expression.
6. Some provisions in the law address the mistreatment of orphans and the practice of “bacha bazi,” where boys are exploited and dressed as girls. These measures aim to protect vulnerable children.
7. While many restrictions have been informally enforced since the Taliban’s return to power, the formal codification of these rules may lead to even stricter enforcement.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsUN’s Criticism
The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has expressed deep concern about the new morality law, particularly regarding its impact on women.
Roza Otunbayeva, head of UNAMA, described the law as a “distressing vision for Afghanistan’s future.” She criticised the broad and vague nature of the restrictions and the discretionary powers given to morality inspectors, which could lead to arbitrary enforcement and further abuse.
The UN’s criticism highlights the severe limitations on women’s rights and freedoms imposed by the law, calling for better treatment of the Afghan people amidst ongoing humanitarian crises.