The Taliban has disregarded the concerns and disapproval expressed by the United Nations regarding the new vice and virtue laws in Afghanistan, which prohibit women from revealing their faces and speaking in public areas. Roza Otunbayeva, the head of the U.N. mission in the country, UNAMA, criticized the laws for imposing additional restrictions on the rights of women and girls, including deeming the sound of a woman’s voice outside the home as a moral transgression.
Zabihullah Mujahid, the chief spokesperson for the Taliban’s government, cautioned against arrogance from individuals unfamiliar with Islamic Sharia law, particularly non-Muslims who might raise objections. He emphasized the importance of comprehending these laws and respecting Islamic values before passing judgment, labeling rejection without such understanding as a display of arrogance.
Last week, Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities introduced the country’s first set of laws aimed at discouraging vice and promoting virtue. The laws mandate that women cover their faces, bodies, and voices outside their homes and prohibit depictions of living beings, such as photographs.
Otunbayeva remarked, “After years of conflict and amid a severe humanitarian crisis, the Afghan people deserve better than facing threats or imprisonment for being late for prayers, looking at a non-family member of the opposite sex, or possessing a photo of a loved one.” In response to UNAMA’s statement, Mujahid reiterated the Taliban’s unwavering commitment to enforcing Islamic Sharia law, regardless of the concerns raised by various groups.
