Taliban enacts ‘vice and virtue’ law

Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers issued new laws on Wednesday that include a ban on women's voices and bare faces in public.

News Center- Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers issued new laws on Wednesday that include a ban on women’s voices and bare faces in public.

The 35-article “Vice and Virtue” law was issued on Wednesday after they were approved by supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada. According to the rules of law, it is forbidden for women to look at men they are not related to by blood or marriage and vice versa. Men are also instructed not to wear shorts above the knee or to closely trim their beards.

Other rules include bans on homosexuality, missing prayers, adultery, gambling, making animals fight or disobeying one’s parents, as well as creating or viewing images of living beings on a computer or phone.

Media outlets

The rules also include bans on media outlets. The rules say that media outlets must not publish “content hostile to Sharia law and religion”, that “humiliates Muslims” or “that shows living beings”.

Morality police

The law sets out graduated punishments for non-compliance: verbal warning, threats, fines, arrest ranging from one hour to three days, or other punishments requested by the morality police.