New Taliban Law Classifies Loud Female Voices As 'Immodest', Tightens Restrictions

The Taliban's new law tightens restrictions on women's freedoms, requiring them to cover their faces, stay silent in public, and have a male guardian when travelling.

Women with their faces covered in Afghanistan.

Source : Pixabay

New Taliban Law: In its latest diktat for the country's women, the Taliban government of Afghanistan has ordered that they must not talk in loud voices, because that will be considered "immodest". The new law governing the 'Ministry of Vice and Virtue' tightens the existing restrictions as it tells women to cover their faces entirely while in public, and not travel in taxis without a male guardian, TOLO News reported.

The Ministry of Justice in Afghanistan has confirmed the enforcement of the law, which has now been ratified by the leader of the Islamic Emirate, the report said.

This law is composed of four chapters and 35 articles addressing various societal aspects, including regulations on women’s hijab, men’s dress code, media content, and guidelines for the conduct of ministry enforcers when interacting with the public.
The new law has restrictions for men too, as it bars them from wearing a tie, shaving or trimming the beard below a fist's length, and grooming hair, which it says are against Sharia, according to the TOLO News report.

Rules For Women To 'Prevent Temptation'

One of the most significant sections of this law is Article 13, which emphasises that women must cover their faces to prevent “temptation". Additionally, it considers a woman’s loud voice part of her modesty, banning public displays such as singing, chanting, and recitation.

The law further restricts women’s mobility by prohibiting drivers from transporting adult women without a male guardian. Other points in Article 13 include the requirement for women to wear non-revealing clothing and the obligation to cover their bodies and faces in the presence of "non-mahram (not related by blood)" men.

Article 22, which lays down certain restrictions for men, also says forming friendships or aiding non-believers, and resembling them are considered prohibitions.

Article 22 imposes further limitations, banning the "misuse" of typewriters, radios, and similar devices.

In Article 17, the law says content published or broadcast in the media should not include images of living beings, as it tells the publications to ensure all content must align with Sharia, avoiding anything that could be seen as "disrespectful to Muslims". 

'Restrictions Are Increasing Every Day'

"According to this law, the aforementioned ministry is obliged to command the good and forbid the evil in accordance with Islamic Sharia and Hanafi jurisprudence, while also ensuring peace and brotherhood among the people by discouraging ethnic, linguistic, and regional prejudices," the TOLO report quoted Barkatullah Rasooli, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Justice, as saying.

This new legal framework has raised concerns among many citizens and activists regarding further erosion of rights and freedoms.

"We have always been as they wanted, but their restrictions are increasing every day. We hope that they will reconsider," women’s rights activist Tafsir Siyahposh said while talking to TOLO News.

Shared his view on the issue, religious scholar Haseebullah Hanafi noted that "the opinion of prominent scholars from Saudi Arabia, India, and Pakistan is that video and digital media systems are necessities of the time".