The Taliban’s Ministry of Promoting Virtues and Opposing Vices assures that the Taliban does not prohibit women from speaking in public. According to the Taliban, the restriction only applies to religious events.
Afghan women are still allowed to talk to each other in public, the extremist Islamic Taliban organization that rules the country commented to the news agency AFP on Saturday.
Last week, the international media reported that the Taliban organization is tightening its oppression of women even more.
Minister of Promoting Virtues and Opposing Vices of the Taliban Mohammad Khalid Hanafi said at the time that women would no longer be allowed to pray or read the Koran aloud in public so that other women could hear.
British newspaper Independent interpreted that the Taliban intends to ban women from speaking to each other in public places.
Spokesperson of the Ministry Saiful Islam Khyber denied the allegations on Saturday. In a statement to AFP, Khyber called the claims unintelligent and illogical.
The representative of the ministry clarified that the discussion ban applies only to religious events.
Khyber commented that according to sharia law, it is only appropriate for women to use sign language with each other during religious occasions. Women are allowed to talk to each other outside the mosque, the Taliban representative assured.
The Taliban took power in Afghanistan in 2021. Since then, the organization has systematically restricted women’s freedoms. For example, women are prohibited from reciting poetry in public.
A woman’s voice is also not allowed to be heard on television and radio broadcasts.
In addition, the Taliban has limited the opportunities for girls and women to be educated and work in many professions.
Source: AFP