Breathe
By Ryma Sheermohammadi
Hibatullah Akhundzada, leader of the Taliban government, has approved a new law on "Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice", consisting of a preamble, four chapters and 35 articles. This legislation establishes guidelines for the promotion of virtue and the prevention of vice, as well as the functions of the agents in charge of supervising their compliance, known as "muhtasib". Their mission is to ensure respect for the principles of Islamic Sharia law, and in case of violations, they must refer violators to the judicial authorities of the Taliban regime.
The scope of this regulation is broad and allows the muhtasib to regulate the behavior, dress and appearance of Afghan citizens. Article 13 states that women must completely cover their bodies, including the head, with a chador. The wearing of light, short or tight-fitting clothing is prohibited. In addition, the concept of "concealment of the voice" is introduced, which prohibits women from singing, giving speeches or even reciting the Quran in public, as their voice is considered an "awra" (something that must be covered). The muhtasib are also mandated to prevent women's voices or music from being heard from dwellings. Clause 8 of Article 13 states that if a woman must leave her home out of necessity, she is obliged to cover her voice, face and body.
The law gives the muhtasib the power to arrest and punish with lashes any woman or girl who does not cover her face. Drivers of transport vehicles are also prohibited from carrying women who do not wear a veil or are not accompanied by a mahram (male guardian, according to Islamic law). Mixing of men and women in vehicles and public spaces is also prohibited.
In Article 22, the law also imposes restrictions on men, such as a ban on wearing a tie, shaving their beards or cutting their hair in modern styles. The concept of "awra" in the case of men includes the area from below the navel to the knees, including the knees. The regulations also regulate the media, prohibiting television, radio and other media from being used in an "improper" manner. Previously, the Taliban had already issued a directive prohibiting the broadcasting of series with a female presence, as well as any content contrary to Sharia.
Article 17 regulates the press and information, prohibiting the publication of content that contradicts the Sharia or insults Muslims. It also prohibits the use of images of living beings in such content. The law applies to all institutions and public places in Afghanistan, affecting all citizens and residents. Critics see this regulation as a violation of human rights and human dignity. The Taliban regime's Ministry of Virtue Promotion has reported that, in the past year, more than 13,000 people have been arrested for "immoral actions," and more than 280 members of the security forces have been dismissed for not growing beards.
Prohibited education for girls
As the new school year begins in many countries, Afghan girls over the age of 12 are still unable to attend school. Two years ago, on March 21, 2022, the Taliban promised to reopen schools, allowing primary and secondary school girls, as well as university students, to return to the classroom. However, two days later, this promise was revoked, and girls over the age of 12 or those who had reached puberty were banned from attending school. Since then, millions of Afghan women and girls have been excluded from education and work, confined to their homes.
The Taliban regime between 1996 and 2001: a dark precedent
During the first Taliban government (1996-2001), Afghan women lived under severe restrictions. They had to wear the burqa in public because, according to the Taliban, "a woman's face is a source of corruption for men". Women were not allowed to work, and from the age of eight, they were forbidden to receive any education, except for reading the Koran.
Those who wished to study did so in clandestine schools, risking execution if discovered. In addition, women could not receive medical treatment from male doctors without the company of a mahram, which limited their access to health services. Many women were publicly flogged and executed for violating the strict laws imposed by the Taliban.
Forced marriages and other restrictions
Forced marriage of girls under the age of 16 was common during this period. Amnesty International reported that 80% of marriages in Afghanistan were forced. In addition, other restrictions limited women's freedom: they could not wear high heels, as it was considered that the sound of their footsteps could excite men; they could not speak loudly in public; and the windows of homes had to be covered to prevent women from being seen from the street. Women were also prohibited from appearing in the media or participating in public gatherings. All first floor and second floor windows of dwellings were to be painted or covered to prevent women from being seen from the street, Photography, filming and display of images of women in newspapers, books, stores or in the home were prohibited. Place names that included the word "women" were to be changed; for example, "Women's Garden" was changed to "Spring Garden." Women were forbidden to ride bicycles or motorcycles, even if accompanied by a mahram. Women were prohibited from taking cabs without a mahram. Separate buses for men and women were introduced to avoid mixing in the same vehicle.
Rural women's lives were less affected by these restrictions, as they lived in a smaller environment with fewer resources. However, when traveling to nearby cities, the same urban constraints applied to them.
Repression in the workplace and in education
In September 1996, the Taliban issued a decree banning women from working, affecting 25% of the workforce in the government sector. The ban on employing women in education affected hundreds of thousands of children, as the majority of primary school teachers were women.
Health care under the Taliban regime
Women's access to health services was also severely restricted. Male doctors could not treat women without a mahram, and many clinics were closed, resulting in an increase in deaths from untreated illnesses. In October 1996, women were banned from accessing traditional and public baths, as these were considered un-Islamic. These baths, which were essential in countries with poor piped water supplies, led the UN to predict an increase in cases of scabies and vaginal infections among women deprived of hygiene and health care. In June 1998, the Taliban banned women from attending public hospitals in the capital, allowing them only to participate in women-only sections of public hospitals. Only one hospital in Kabul where they could receive treatment.
Public punishments
Punishments for violating Taliban laws were carried out publicly in sports stadiums and squares, where women were whipped or even executed for minor infractions. Severe punishments for such simple things as wearing nail polish or refusing to wear the burqa were common, highlighting the Taliban's brutal control over women.
According to human rights reports:
- In October 1996, a woman's thumb was cut off for wearing nail polish.
- In December 1996, Radio Sharia announced that 225 women in Kabul were arrested and punished for violating Islamic dress laws. This punishment was handed down by a court, and the women were sentenced to lashes.
- In May 1997, five international CARE workers with permission from the Ministry of Interior to conduct research for an emergency nutrition program were forced out of their vehicle by members of the Taliban police and beaten with metal and leather whips over 1.5 meters long.
- In 1999, a mother of seven was executed in front of 30,000 spectators at Ghazi Stadium in Kabul for murdering her husband. She spent three years in prison and was tortured before her execution. However, she refused to declare her innocence in an attempt to protect her daughter, who was said to be the real culprit.
- A young Afghan girl named Bibi Aisha was betrothed to a new family through a tribal method of conflict resolution. When she tried to escape the violence, her new family found her and a Taliban commander ordered her to be punished to serve as a lesson to others, in order to prevent the other girls in the village from doing the same. Her ears and nose were cut off and she was left in the mountains to die, but she survived.
- A notable case was that of a 22-year-old woman named Hossai in July 2010, whose murder caused quite a stir. When ordered to leave her job, she refused to obey, and after being subjected to numerous tortures, she was shot and killed.
- In 2013, Sushmita Banerjee, an Indian author, was killed by the Taliban for disobeying their orders. She had married an Afghan trader and moved to Afghanistan.
These examples illustrate the cruelty and repression that Afghan women have endured under the Taliban regime, a reality that is repeated today, while the world watches with indifference.
*Ryma Sheermohammadi is a translator and interpreter with more than two decades of experience working with international organizations such as the United Nations, the European Union and the International Organization for Migration.
Her work has been recognized with the Valor 2022 Award in Madrid and she is one of the 153 women honored by the Barcelona City Council in the project Mapa Metro Barcelona city of women 2023.
The opinions expressed are the responsibility of the authors and are absolutely independent of the position and editorial line of the company. Opinion 51.
Comments ()