RASC News Agency: Over the past month, the Taliban have detained more than 40 individuals in Kabul and other provinces on charges of “unlawful behavior, illicit relationships, and defiance of Taliban edicts on promoting virtue.” Reliable sources reveal that the majority of those arrested are Tajiks, primarily from the provinces of Panjshir, Parwan, and Kapisa. According to eyewitness accounts, the Taliban specifically identify Tajik youths and subject them to systematic harassment and arbitrary detention under various fabricated pretexts.
Further reports from Kabul indicate that the Taliban’s morality enforcement units have detained women and girls, accusing them of “violations of dress codes” and “relationships outside marriage.” Under newly implemented Taliban regulations, these units are authorized to punish and imprison individuals at their discretion. One of the most contentious provisions of this law prohibits women’s voices from being heard in public spaces a policy that has provoked widespread outrage both domestically and internationally.
A source informed RASC News that Taliban enforcers routinely stop and interrogate individuals without any legitimate reason, particularly targeting women in public markets and streets. The source noted that women who do not adhere to the Taliban’s strict dress code, especially those not wearing full-body coverings, face heightened levels of harassment and intimidation. Previously, the Taliban declared women’s voices to be “immodest” and enforced mandatory veiling for all women. Article 13 of their morality law states: “It is obligatory to cover the entire body of a woman. Concealing the face is essential to prevent moral corruption. Women’s voices including singing, reciting poetry, or reading aloud in public gatherings are considered immodest.”
This regressive legislation has drawn sharp criticism from Afghanistani women and the international community, who see it as a blatant attack on women’s fundamental freedoms and human rights.
