Official United Nations announcements or credible international news sources

Taliban's Khalid Hanafi Bans Women’s Voices, Introduces Media Images Ban

Oct 28, 2024, 11:30 AM

The Taliban's Minister for Virtue and Vice, Khalid Hanafi, has declared it forbidden for adult women to allow their voices to be heard by other adult women in Afghanistan. This new restriction adds to the mounting limitations on women's lives under Taliban rule. The Taliban's law on Vice and Virtue, specifically Clause 3 of Article 13, was cited to justify this decree. Additionally, Afghanistan's morality ministry is gradually introducing a ban on images of living beings in media, with multiple provinces announcing restrictions and some Taliban officials refusing to be photographed or filmed. The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) underscored the importance of safeguarding Afghanistan’s audiovisual heritage amid these tightening restrictions. The statement comes as October 27 marks the World Day for Audiovisual Heritage.