In a new edict, the Taliban government in Afghanistan bans women from hearing each other’s voice in public. Afghan women cannot pray or recite loudly in front of other women, says the new decree.
The latest decree comes two months after Taliban banned the women’s voices in public spaces. The order has been issued by Mohammad Khalid Hanafi, the Minister for propagation of virtues and prevention of vices.
“When women are not permitted to call takbir or athan [Islamic call to prayer], they certainly cannot sing songs or music,” he said in remarks reported on Saturday.
“Even when an adult female prays and another female passes by, she must not pray loudly enough for them to hear … How could they be allowed to sing if they aren’t even permitted to hear [each other’s] voices while praying, let alone for anything else,” Mr Hanafi was also quoted as saying by The Daily Telegraph.
Back in August 2024, Afghan Taliban banned the sound of women’s voices singing and reading in public.
Read more: Afghan Taliban bans the sound of women’s voices in public
The laws were issued on Wednesday and were passed after being approved by Supreme Leader Haibatullah Akhundzada. The laws cover aspects of everyday life like public transportation, shaving, music, and celebrations.
Among the new rules, Article 13 relates to women: It says it is mandatory for a woman to veil her body at all times in public and that a face covering is essential to avoid temptation and tempting others. Clothing should not be thin, tight, or short.
A woman’s voice is deemed intimate and hence should not heard in public in the form of singing, recitation, or reading in public. This set of new rules will further tighten the grip and restrictions on the public activities of women in public.
The new rule of Taliban has stirred a furore on social media. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau condemned the new decree issued by Taliban. In his tweet on X he said: “The Taliban’s latest edict is horrifying. Banning Afghan women and girls from hearing each other’s voices in public is a deliberate effort to erase them from society. We condemn the Taliban’s appalling assault on the rights of women and girls.”
“In August, Taliban banned women’s voices in public, calling it “sexually provocative.” Last week, they banned women from singing & loudly praying around each other. They aim to choke women, but women will not be silenced. Video from August: brave woman sings defiantly in Kabul,” said Zubaida Akbar, a female human rights activist from Afghanistan.