In a move that has sent shockwaves through Afghanistan’s literary community, the Taliban has imposed severe restrictions on poets and literary gatherings under a new law. The “Poetry Gathering Regulation Law,” signed by Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, censors poetry and compels poets to praise the leadership, effectively silencing one of the country’s oldest traditions.
What’s Changing for Afghan Poets?
The new law, which comprises 13 articles, regulates poetry events, dictates permissible themes, and establishes oversight committees to scrutinize all material. Poets are now explicitly prohibited from:
- Writing about love, friendship between boys and girls, or praising individuals.
- Criticizing the Taliban’s supreme leader or insulting Islamic rituals.
- Promoting ethnic or linguistic divisions or spreading “immoral customs.”
Impact on Literary Heritage and Free Expression
Afghan writers and cultural figures warn that these restrictions will erase the country’s rich literary heritage and replace it with tightly controlled, ideologically driven performances. “Poetry has always been the heart of Afghan culture, a space for expressing love, grief, and truth,” said an Afghan poet living in exile. “The Taliban want to strip it of humanity and turn it into political propaganda.”
A Kabul-based cultural analyst described the measures as “the end of free literary expression in Afghanistan.” “When poets are banned from writing about love or questioning power,” the analyst noted, “what remains is not poetry but censorship.”
