The Taliban’s Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice in Herat has warned that women who appear in public without complying with the group’s prescribed dress code, including those showing their faces or wearing make-up, will face action.
According to a notice attributed to the Taliban’s morality police department in Herat, women who fail to comply with the group’s mandatory hijab rules could be detained and transferred to prison.
The notice, reportedly issued by the department in Herat, cites Quranic verses and religious teachings concerning women’s dress and appearance.
It also refers to the role and authority of male family members in determining how female relatives should dress.
According to the document, Taliban morality police officers in Herat have been instructed to take action against women who do not comply with the group’s dress requirements and to detain and imprison them.
At the same time, an audio recording circulating in Herat features a man claiming that the decision was made following a meeting between the Taliban governor of Herat and officials from the morality police department.
According to the recording, the measure is due to take effect on Saturday, June 6. The message also states that neighbourhood representatives and mosque imams are expected to inform local residents of the order.
The audio file has been attributed to an employee of the Taliban’s Hajj and Religious Affairs Department in Herat.
While Taliban authorities in other provinces have also imposed restrictions on women’s dress, no Taliban official has publicly commented on this reported decision.
Residents of Herat had previously reported that Taliban morality police in the province had resumed what they described as aggressive enforcement and inspections of women’s clothing.
