Afghanistan’s New Taliban Laws: A Veil of Silence and Invisibility for Women

[Social Media]

 

The Taliban's repressive regime in Afghanistan has taken yet another draconian step toward erasing the presence and identity of women in public life. In a newly issued set of laws, spanning 114 pages and 35 articles, the militant group has imposed severe restrictions on women’s freedoms, including a ban on their voices and bare faces in public. This document, seen by The Associated Press, reflects the Taliban's unyielding commitment to a version of Islamic law that strips away the basic rights and dignities of women.

 

These laws were officially enacted on Wednesday, with the approval of the Taliban's supreme leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada. The Taliban, which regained control of Afghanistan following the U.S. withdrawal in 2021, has systematically dismantled the rights of women and girls that had been arduously gained over the past two decades. The new regulations mark a significant escalation in this process, pushing Afghan women further into the shadows of society.

 

"Inshallah, we assure you that this Islamic law will be of great help in the promotion of virtue and the elimination of vice," stated ministry spokesperson Maulvi Abdul Ghafar Farooq on Thursday, according to the AP. This statement encapsulates the Taliban's justification for their oppressive measures, cloaking their actions in the rhetoric of religious piety.

 

The laws cover a broad spectrum of public and private life, with specific instructions on everything from celebrations and music to transportation and personal grooming. One of the most disturbing aspects of these regulations is detailed in Article 13, which mandates that women must cover their faces in public and refrain from wearing short or tight clothing. This article extends the Taliban’s already harsh dress codes, further restricting women’s autonomy over their own bodies.

Article 13 also goes further by banning women from looking at men to whom they are not related by marriage or blood.

 

This prohibition is a stark indicator of the Taliban's desire to control not just women's appearance, but their very interactions with the world around them. Moreover, women are now forbidden from singing or reading aloud, effectively silencing their voices in both literal and metaphorical terms.

Today, the Taliban passed a law that bans women from showing their faces and having their voices heard in public. Their burqas must now entirely cover their faces and they are not permitted to speak in public or to look at any males that are not relatives. Perhaps it’s been an… pic.twitter.com/HYgS0So1ct

— Elica Le Bon الیکا‌ ل بن (@elicalebon) August 23, 2024

 

The imposition of these laws comes on the heels of a United Nations report in July, which accused the Taliban's Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice of widespread intimidation and human rights violations. The report highlighted the ministry’s role in enforcing gender apartheid and other forms of oppression. However, the ministry has rejected these claims, continuing to assert that their actions are in line with Islamic principles.

 

 

The Taliban's latest legal directives represent not just a violation of women’s rights, but a profound erosion of the social fabric of Afghanistan. Women, who once had the opportunity to participate in education, work, and public life, are now being systematically erased from public visibility. These laws not only isolate women physically by confining them to their homes and cloaking them in public but also silence their voices, cutting them off from the broader discourse of society.

 

 

The international community has expressed concern over the Taliban's treatment of women, but these latest developments underscore the regime's disregard for global criticism. The Taliban's actions appear to be driven by an ideological commitment to a rigid interpretation of Islamic law, which they claim is necessary for the promotion of virtue and the elimination of vice. Yet, in practice, these laws serve to entrench the Taliban's power by enforcing strict gender segregation and limiting the role of women to one of subservience and invisibility.

 

The situation in Afghanistan remains dire, particularly for women and girls who are facing an increasingly oppressive environment. The Taliban's laws are a stark reminder of the challenges that lie ahead for those advocating for human rights and gender equality in the country. As these new regulations take effect, the voices and faces of Afghan women are being forced into silence and obscurity, marking a tragic step backward for a nation that had once shown signs of progress.

 

Credit: Hill 2024-08-26

 

 

 

Get the ASEAN NOW daily NEWSLETTER - Click HERE to subscribe

[thaibeachlovers]

Anyone that thought women's "rights" would survive the departure of the allied forces in Afghanistan is living in Lala Land IMO.

 

Some of us thought the US should have left after defeating the Taliban, as it would not have given false hope to the women of that blighted country.

 

In the event, all it did was waste many billions in treasure and kill a load of people for no good reason, IMO.

[thaibeachlovers]

17 minutes ago, Social Media said:

The imposition of these laws comes on the heels of a United Nations report in July, which accused the Taliban's Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice of widespread intimidation and human rights violations.

The Taliban don't care what the UN thinks or does.

 

Not for the first time, IMO the UN is a waste of money, as all it does is whine about the terrible things that go on in the real world, and does nothing to stop any of it.

[Dan747]

Ah, yes...the "religion of peace". Sharia law familiar tenets. The same sharia law that a vast majority of Muslims in the USA as well as in other western countries want implemented!!! In time as their numbers grow, they will succeed, and the liberals will call it progressive!

[sqwakvfr]

In one of my deployments I worked with a young Afghan translator.  He spoke a little better English than most Thai's but he was the best we could find.  During a long convoy outside of Kabul we had a discssion about people in history we admired.  The translator said he admired Adold Hitler and at the time the current president of Iran (Mahmoud Ahimendinijaud).  I asked why and he repliced "one killed the Jews and the other wants to kill the Jews".  I then asked myself what am I doing here.  I  feel lucky to have  survived two deployments there. Some in my unit were not so lucky.  The western nations in A-stan had one of two choices: Get in and get out or stay for forever.  We did neither. We stayed almost twenty years and quickly bailed. 

[stoner]

i love it when i'm told in the west that women chose to live like this. when i disagree with things like this i am considered Islamophobic. 

 

oh my. 

[thaipo7]

Where are all the women's groups on this?  They have always been quiet on what happens in this part of the world.  Is Harris OK on this?  You better believe it.  She is after the Muslim vote in Dearbornastan.  Not going to mess this up.

[animalmagic]

Not much diversity in that picture!

 

[Purdey]

Weird that someone would sign a peace agreement with these animals. Shame. 

[JonnyF]

8 hours ago, Dan747 said:

Ah, yes...the "religion of peace". Sharia law familiar tenets. The same sharia law that a vast majority of Muslims in the USA as well as in other western countries want implemented!!! In time as their numbers grow, they will succeed, and the liberals will call it progressive!

 

 Indeed, there are certain groups that would like Sharia law implemented in Western countries.

 

I'd like to criticize this and explain my objections, but I might be labelled far right and face a lengthy spell in Starmer's gulag so I will simply repeat the mantra. "Diversity is our greatest strength" and wish the women of Afghanistan the best of luck. 

 

 

[AndreasHG]

10 hours ago, Dan747 said:

Ah, yes...the "religion of peace". Sharia law familiar tenets. The same sharia law that a vast majority of Muslims in the USA as well as in other western countries want implemented!!! In time as their numbers grow, they will succeed, and the liberals will call it progressive!

Most of the muslims living in the Middle East don't follow the Sharia and have a relaxed approach to religion.

It's when they emigrate that things change drastically.

 

Most of the mosques in the west promote a fundamentalist interpretation of Islam. Radicalizing muslims exposed to western cultures in Western countries, is instrumental to keep a tight control upon them, preventing them from adopting too much of the Western way of life, or from ending attending the Friday prayers at the mosque or, and this is the worst of all posible sins in the muslim world, commit apostasy by converting to another religion.

It's the culture of "them against us" that they promote. No matter how many deaths this causes.

 

Coming from Western mindsets, we take it for granted that radicalism is a free choice of the Muslims who live next to us. In reality, radicalism is imposed on them by the imams and by those who financially support the mosques, in the hope of obtaining some kind of eternal recognition from the Almighty. 

[mokwit]

14 minutes ago, AndreasHG said:

radicalism is imposed on them by the imams

The most extreme interpretation wins - if you reject it you are an apostate.

[candide]

10 hours ago, stoner said:

i love it when i'm told in the west that women chose to live like this. when i disagree with things like this i am considered Islamophobic. 

 

oh my. 

Complete B.S.

[stoner]

Just now, candide said:

Complete B.S.

 

Is it?

 

Maybe come to canada and find out before you say such stupid things. 

[candide]

Just now, stoner said:

 

Is it?

 

Maybe come to canada and find out before you say such stupid things. 

I don't know about Canada, but you wrote "in the West".

 

It is not claimed "in the West" that Afghan women chose to live like this, quite the opposite. I also doubt it's the case in Canada.

[stoner]

1 minute ago, candide said:

I don't know about Canada, but you wrote "in the West".

 

It is not claimed "in the West" that Afghan women chose to live like this, quite the opposite. I also doubt it's the case in Canada.

 

You are too ignorant to talk to. Go away Islamic opressive sympathiser. 

[candide]

1 hour ago, AndreasHG said:

Most of the muslims living in the Middle East don't follow the Sharia and have a relaxed approach to religion.

It's when they emigrate that things change drastically.

 

Most of the mosques in the west promote a fundamentalist interpretation of Islam. Radicalizing muslims exposed to western cultures in Western countries, is instrumental to keep a tight control upon them, preventing them from adopting too much of the Western way of life, or from ending attending the Friday prayers at the mosque or, and this is the worst of all posible sins in the muslim world, commit apostasy by converting to another religion.

It's the culture of "them against us" that they promote. No matter how many deaths this causes.

 

Coming from Western mindsets, we take it for granted that radicalism is a free choice of the Muslims who live next to us. In reality, radicalism is imposed on them by the imams and by those who financially support the mosques, in the hope of obtaining some kind of eternal recognition from the Almighty. 

While the process you describe happens, you cannot generalise to "most mosques".

 

The radicalisation of Muslims, not only in the West, but also in Muslim countries, is usually caused by specific branches of Islam.

 

In particular, prior Islamist terrorists have often been brainwashed in Salafi mosques financed by Saudi Arabia. It's the same in subsaharan Africa. The rise of terrorism is correlated with the diffusion of Salafism.

 

[candide]

7 minutes ago, stoner said:

 

You are too ignorant to talk to. Go away Islamic opressive sympathiser. 

Complete B.S. again.  😀

Talking about ignorance....

[stoner]

Just now, candide said:

Complete B.S. again.  😀

Talking about ignorance....

 

You keep your head in the sand big fella.  Islamic opressive sympathiser. 

[candide]

Just now, stoner said:

 

You keep your head in the sand big fella.  Islamic opressive sympathiser. 

Troll

[Denim]

2 hours ago, animalmagic said:

Not much diversity in that picture!

 

 

 

Looks like a crate of Guinness.

 

The burqa actually predates Islam and ins therefore not exactly Islamic. Designed to stop men having unclean thoughts about women.

 

But if that is so , shouldn't men wear them too to stop men getting a hard on looking at other men ?   ( where applicable )

 

Mohammed was shrewd when he invented his ' religion '  He looked at the dross he had to deal with and persuade he was a prophet then cut his suit according to his cloth , incorporating all their customs and foibles into his new religion.

[stoner]

2 minutes ago, candide said:

Troll

 

 

I spoke truth. Come to canada or go to England and talk shhh publically about Islam. See what happens. 

 

Why do you support the oppression of women. I for one find these barbarian practices vile and out of touch with the modern world.

 

These ideals do not align with the West. 

[candide]

Just now, stoner said:

 

 

I spoke truth. Come to canada or go to England and talk shhh publically about Islam. See what happens. 

 

Why do you support the oppression of women. I for one find these barbarian practices vile and out of touch with the modern world.

 

These ideals do not align with the West. 

Trolling again. The subject is about Afghanistan. It is not claimed in the West that Afghan women have chosen to be oppressed.

 

I am not the subject of this thread but you could not be more wrong about me I am fully secularist.

[stoner]

1 minute ago, candide said:

Trolling again. The subject is about Afghanistan. It is not claimed in the West that Afghan women have chosen to be oppressed.

 

I am not the subject of this thread but you could not be more wrong about me I am fully secularist.

 

Again

 

Come to the West and find out. You're so ignorant. 

 

I for one condenm these practices. 

[spidermike007]

Nobody really knows what was spent in Afghanistan. The US figures are fake. Cheney had a resolution passed, back in the day, that essentially allowed the US to fight the wars in both Afghanistan and Iraq "off the books". The real number is likely several trillion in Afghanistan, and a comparable amount in Iraq. For what? Though the intentions for Afghanistan were reasonable, in Iraq they were diabolical. 

 

So, what has been achieved? And why does the US continue with it's foreign policy blunders, and why does it not seem capable of learning from history? Sheer hubris? Arrogance? Ignorant neocon ideas?

 

So many lives lost. Few like the Taliban, and fewer liked Hussein. But, this? 

 

The blame has to be distributed equally. Bush Jr., (Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, Cheney, and the other spectacularly ignorant men in that regressive group of idiots) Trump and Biden. At a minimum, it would have made sense to leave a few thousand specialists and some equipment in and around Kabul. After all, decades later, the US still has a presence in Germany, Japan, and South Korea. 

 

The Taliban are cowards. And they believe in a perverted form of Islam. It has little to nothing to do with the Koran, or the original teachings, and it is likely most of them are not religious anyway, but are in it for the money, the ability to be a heroin dealer without any of the legal consequences, the power, the girls, and the ability to kill, rape, steal or maim at will. That can be a heady amount of power for a young man without much direction in his life, nor any ethics. 

 

[candide]

12 minutes ago, stoner said:

 

Again

 

Come to the West and find out. You're so ignorant. 

 

I for one condenm these practices. 

So who exactly told you that women have chosen to be oppressed in Afghanustan, when, where?

[stoner]

1 minute ago, candide said:

So who exactly told you that women have chosen to be oppressed in Afghanustan, when, where?

 

You really need to wake up. In Canada we even have hate laws for this. But you're too ignorant to find out. 

 

Bye I don't like barbaric practice sympathisers. I support women's rights. 

[animalmagic]

15 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

So, what has been achieved? And why does the US continue with it's foreign policy blunders, and why does it not seem capable of learning from history? Sheer hubris? Arrogance? Ignorant neocon ideas?

They think every other country is jealous and wants to be like them.  The people you quote live in ivory towers of wealth and privilege and have little practical experience of life in other countries.

[stoner]

I find these threads quite telling. Here you have real oppression and fascist like behaviour........yet the Trump is the devil Hitler fascist crowd is no where to be seen. 

 

Your silence is deafening. 

 

 

[candide]

25 minutes ago, stoner said:

 

You really need to wake up. In Canada we even have hate laws for this. But you're too ignorant to find out. 

 

Bye I don't like barbaric practice sympathisers. I support women's rights. 

So the Canadian government and various ONGs have been complaining in Canada about the human right situation regarding girls and women in Afghanistan, but you are claiming it is forbidden by law! 😀

You are making stuff up.