Tarz Press: Khalid Hanifi, the acting minister of the Taliban’s Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, recently announced new restrictions against women. He stated that grown women are not even allowed to say phrases like “Alhamdulillah” and “Subhanallah” to one another during prayers and emphasized that singing for women is strictly prohibited.
Hanifi described the new laws as part of the ministry’s effort to “preserve the dignity and respect of women,” stating that these regulations would gradually be enforced. He also issued a six-article decree aimed specifically at women and responded to criticisms of these policies.
Referring to Western culture, Hanifi remarked, “We have made our sisters wear the hijab to preserve their dignity,” and described women’s voices as part of their “awrah” (parts of the body that must be covered according to Islamic law), further prohibiting women from going out without a male “mahram” (close male relative). These statements have caused deep concern both inside and outside Afghanistan.
The Taliban official dismissed criticisms and reactions to the new restrictions, stating, “Victory belongs to the Taliban,” in a reference to the group’s current power and influence.
These remarks have sparked backlash from women and civil activists. Women and girls protesting these policies have responded strongly on social media, asserting that the silence of men and the escalating restrictions imposed by the Taliban are pushing society toward a state of ruin and increased Talibanization. They emphasized the need to resist the Taliban’s oppressive actions.
Fatima Karimi, a women’s rights activist, described the Taliban’s measures as a clear violation of women’s basic human rights, saying, “We cannot remain silent. This is a humanitarian crisis that affects not only women’s lives but society as a whole, and everyone must work for change.” She stressed the importance of cooperation and solidarity among human rights activists and international organizations and urged the global community to take serious action on this issue.
Another protester, Parigal Sarwari, emphasized, “These restrictions reflect the Taliban’s attempt to control us. We will continue our fight and never surrender.”
International organizations have also condemned the Taliban’s policies of restricting women’s rights. A United Nations representative expressed deep concern over the human rights situation in Afghanistan, particularly women’s rights, stressing that these laws not only oppress women’s lives and freedoms but are fundamentally at odds with basic human rights principles. The representative called for immediate and effective actions from the international community to support the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan.
The International Federation of the Red Cross also emphasized the importance of respecting women’s rights and called for an end to the Taliban’s restrictive policies. These organizations have urged the global community to maintain pressure on the Taliban to ensure that the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan are fully respected. They warned that failing to uphold women’s rights would exacerbate the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan and lead to social and economic instability.
Earlier, a majority of the United Nations Security Council members strongly condemned the Taliban’s “Law of Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice” and called for its immediate repeal. However, China, Russia, and Algeria did not sign the statement.
In the joint statement from 12 members of the Security Council, it was stated: In addition to previous decrees, this new directive endorses extensive and impractical restrictions on personal behavior and grants broad enforcement powers to inspectors.
The Taliban’s “Law of Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice,” published on August 21, 2024, declared that the entire female body, including the face and voice, is “awrah” and must be hidden.
In a recent development, the acting permanent representative of Afghanistan at the United Nations called on the UN to recognize the Taliban’s gender apartheid as a crime against humanity during a Security Council meeting on women, peace, and security.
