Saif-ul-Islam Khyber, spokesman for the Taliban’s Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, has defended the group’s enforcement of dress codes for women, saying that “every government in the world imposes restrictions on its citizens.”
He also said that no country accepts “absolute freedom”.
In a post on X on Sunday, Khyber wrote that just as governments require citizens to comply with laws such as taxation and traffic regulations, an Islamic government also has the right to enforce its own social and moral principles.
He said Muslim countries have the right to organise public life according to their religious values, just as Western countries establish laws based on their political and ideological principles.
Khyber described criticism of the Taliban’s strict enforcement measures as emotional and argued that any misconduct by individual morality inspectors should not be attributed to Islam.
The Taliban spokesman called on the international community to accept diversity in political and cultural systems and refrain from interfering in the laws and values promoted by the Taliban administration.
He asked: “Why is it considered coercion when an Islamic government enforces certain social and moral principles based on its own laws and values, while mandatory laws imposed by other governments are not regarded as coercion?”
Except Russia, no country has formally recognised the Taliban since the group returned to power. After taking control of Kabul, the Taliban did not hold elections or establish any other mechanism to seek public legitimacy for its government.
Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada issues decrees without approval from elected institutions. Human rights organisations say these orders are enforced through coercive measures.
Responding to critics who favour awareness campaigns and persuasion over enforcement, Khyber said that while guidance and preaching are important principles in Islam, society cannot be governed through persuasion alone and laws must also be enforced.
His remarks come as Taliban authorities continue detaining women accused of violating the group’s dress code. Witnesses and local sources have also reported violent treatment of some detainees.
The Taliban says it only accepts forms of dress that cover a woman’s entire body and face, an interpretation that differs from prevailing practices in many Muslim-majority countries.
The comments come amid an ongoing crackdown in Herat, where the Taliban began arresting women on June 6 over alleged violations of hijab rules. Following the arrests, residents staged protests, but Taliban forces opened fire to disperse demonstrators.
According to reports, at least two people, including a child, were killed and several others injured in the shooting.
The United Nations, Amnesty International and other human rights organisations have expressed concern over the arrests of women and the reported use of force against protesters.
Over the past two weeks, Afghans in several countries have organised demonstrations in support of the women of Herat and in protest against Taliban policies.
