Following the arrest of a number of women in Herat and public protests in the Jabr-e Jibril township, the Taliban’s Directorate of Information and Culture in the province has issued a statement regarding regulations related to women’s dress code and presence in society.
According to the statement, which was published on Wednesday, 20 Jowza, by the Bakhtar News Agency, the Taliban has once again emphasized its views and regulations concerning women’s dress.
The statement reportedly states that “a woman’s voice is awrah (a source of shame/should be concealed),” that covering the entire body of women is obligatory, and that covering the face is also considered mandatory.
The statement further addresses issues such as women’s dress code, conditions for their presence in society, and certain behavioral restrictions, emphasizing compliance with these rules.
Based on the published content, full-body covering, concealing the face, avoiding thin or tight-fitting clothing, refraining from raising one’s voice in public places, and preventing the gaze of unrelated men from falling upon women are among the measures emphasized in the directive.
The statement also refers to limiting women’s outings from home to necessary circumstances only.
These regulations form part of Article 13 of the Taliban’s “Law on the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice,” a law that, following its adoption, has faced widespread criticism from human rights organizations and some international officials.
The publication of this statement comes amid reports of heightened security measures in Herat, particularly in the Jabr-e Jibril township, following recent protests. The Taliban has not yet released further details regarding the security situation in the area or developments related to the protests.
Writer:Salima Aryaei
