Taliban Poetry Law Tightens Grip On Dissent, Says Iranian Writers’ Association
The Iranian Writers’ Association has condemned a new Taliban law restricting poetry, warning it will further stifle freedom of thought and expression in Afghanistan.
In a statement issued Sunday, the association said the “Law on Regulating Poetry Recitals,” recently signed by Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, marks a systematic expansion of repression. The group said the measure would “undoubtedly tighten the space for dissenters even further.”
The law bans the writing of romantic poetry and criminalises criticism of Akhundzada’s decrees. Members of Afghanistan’s cultural community have widely denounced the decision, with some responding by posting videos of romantic and protest poems on social media.
Founded in 1968, the Iranian Writers’ Association is an independent professional and cultural body that has long campaigned for freedom of expression. Renowned Persian literary figures including Ahmad Shamlou, Houshang Golshiri and Bahram Beyzai were among its members.
