KABUL: The UN mission in Afghanistan expressed deep concern on Sunday regarding a recently ratified morality law by Taliban authorities, particularly criticizing the restrictions imposed on women.
On August 21, the Taliban announced the enactment of a law comprising 35 articles that outline extensive behavior and lifestyle restrictions based on their strict interpretation of Islamic law. The law includes various punishments for non-compliance, ranging from verbal warnings to fines and detentions, enforced by the morality police under the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice.
Roza Otunbayeva, head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), condemned the law as “a distressing vision for Afghanistan’s future,” emphasizing concerns over the discretionary powers given to moral inspectors to detain individuals based on broad and often vague infractions.
“After decades of conflict and amidst a severe humanitarian crisis, the Afghan people deserve more than to be threatened or imprisoned for minor infractions such as being late for prayers, looking at a non-family member of the opposite sex, or possessing a photo of a loved one,” Otunbayeva said.
While many aspects of the law have been informally enforced since the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021, its formal codification raises concerns about stricter enforcement. Women, in particular, have faced severe restrictions described by the UN as “gender apartheid,” including being barred from secondary and higher education.
A doctor in Kabul, speaking anonymously, expressed feelings of “hopelessness” over the law, lamenting the missed opportunity for announcing the reopening of schools and universities.
Otunbayeva criticized the law for exacerbating the already severe restrictions on Afghan women and girls, noting that even the sound of a female voice outside the home is now deemed a moral violation.
