The Taliban’s Ministry of Vice and Virtue announced the arrest of six individuals in Balkh province, accusing them of engaging in “illicit relations.”
The arrests were carried out by the ministry’s so-called “moral police,” who have recently been granted expanded authority to detain and punish people in public under new Taliban regulations.
Two weeks ago, the Taliban introduced a new law imposing further restrictions on personal freedoms, particularly targeting women and girls. The law bans the shaving of beards, prohibits women from raising their voices or appearing with uncovered faces in public, and imposes other stringent social codes. Despite international condemnation, Taliban officials have insisted they remain committed to enforcing these rules.
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) criticized the newly ratified “Law on the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice,” warning that the 35-article law grants broad and arbitrary powers to the morality police and imposes sweeping restrictions on personal conduct.
However, according to Amu’s findings, some Taliban officials have reportedly violated parts of their own law, including bans on featuring images and interacting with unrelated women. Citizens have expressed frustration, accusing the Taliban of pressuring the public while allowing their own officials to act with impunity.
