The Afghan Taliban have fired nearly 300 security force members for not wanting to grow beards, MTI reported.
According to Afghanistan’s ruling Islamist ministry, more than 13,000 people were arrested in 2023 for “immoral behavior.” The ministry also highlighted in its annual report that nearly half of those arrested by authorities in such cases were released within 24 hours.
Mohibullah Mohliz, the ministry's director of planning and legislation, also told a press conference in Kabul that in 2023, 21,328 musical instruments were destroyed, and thousands of computer operators were banned from selling “immoral and unethical” movies in the markets.
The ministry responsible for morality police moved to the headquarters of the Ministry of Women's Affairs, which was dissolved after the Taliban took power in August 2021. The ministry has been heavily criticised by human rights advocates and the United Nations for curtailing women's rights and measures against freedom of expression.
Representatives of the global organization in Afghanistan reported several cases in which ministry officials detained women because their clothing did not conform to their interpretation of Islamic dress codes. The Taliban dismissed the criticism as unfounded, saying the rules they use are consistent with Islamic law and Afghan customs.
