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Taliban Morality Police Detain Men Over Haircuts and Prayer Absences, UN Report Reveals
KABUL, Afghanistan – The Taliban’s Vice and Virtue Ministry is reportedly detaining men for hairstyle choices and absences from mosque prayers during Ramadan, according to a recent United Nations report. These actions by the Taliban regime’s morality police come six months after the implementation of laws designed to regulate personal conduct across Afghanistan.
New Regulations and Enforcement
The ministry’s regulations, enacted last August, cover a wide spectrum of daily life in Afghanistan. These encompass guidelines for public transportation, music, shaving practices, and public gatherings. A key aspect of these laws includes prohibitions on women’s voices in public and requirements for face coverings.
A high-ranking UN official previously voiced concern that these regulations presented a “worrying vision” for the nation’s trajectory. This concern was amplified as these rules compounded existing limitations on women and girls in areas such as employment, education, and dress codes.
Despite UN apprehension, Taliban officials have dismissed these concerns regarding the imposed moral regulations.
Details of Detentions
The latest report, issued by the UN mission in Afghanistan, indicates that within the initial six months of these laws being enforced, over half of all detentions were linked to men’s beard lengths or hairstyles not conforming to regulations. Additionally, barbers providing haircuts or beard trims deemed non-compliant were also targeted.
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The report further highlights that the morality police have been consistently engaging in arbitrary detentions, often without proper legal procedures or protections for those apprehended.
Ramadan Prayer Monitoring
During Ramadan, the observance of mandatory congregational prayers was rigorously monitored. This led to instances of arbitrary detention for men who were not present at these mandated prayers, as outlined in the UN report.
Socio-Economic Impacts
The UN mission emphasized that these regulations are having adverse effects on both genders, particularly impacting individuals with small enterprises. Businesses such as:
- Private education centers
- Barbers and hairdressers
- Tailors
- Wedding caterers
- Restaurants
These sectors have experienced diminished or complete loss of income and job opportunities due to the implemented laws.
The report suggests that the direct and indirect socio-economic repercussions of these regulations are likely to worsen Afghanistan’s already precarious economic situation.
A recent World Bank study has estimated that the ban imposed by authorities on women’s access to education and employment could cost the country upwards of $1.4 billion (£1 billion) annually.
Taliban Leadership’s Stance
Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada has stressed the paramount importance of Islamic law and the pivotal role of the Vice and Virtue Ministry in reshaping Afghan society and its populace.
In a message released prior to the Eid Al-Fitr festival, marking the conclusion of Ramadan, Akhundzada stated the necessity “to establish a society free from corruption and trials, and to prevent future generations from becoming victims of misguided beliefs, harmful practices and bad morals.”
Enforcement Personnel
The report states that over 3,300 inspectors, mostly male, are tasked with informing the public about these laws and ensuring their enforcement.
As of the time of the report’s release, no representative from the Vice and Virtue Ministry was available to provide comments regarding the findings.