Richard Bennett, the United Nations Special Rapporteur for Afghanistan, pledged to evaluate the implications of the Taliban’s newly enacted “Law on the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice,” which has sparked widespread concern over its potential impact on the people of Afghanistan.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Bennett expressed his alignment with the concerns raised by the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) about the law’s grave ramifications. “I share UNAMA’s concern about the severe consequences of the Taliban’s new law and, along with other UN special procedure mandate holders, I am continuing to assess its impact on the human rights of all Afghans,” Bennett stated.
UNAMA had earlier issued a strong condemnation of the 35-article law, warning that it imposes extensive restrictions on personal conduct while granting morality police broad and arbitrary powers of enforcement.
The law, which includes stringent limitations on Afghan women, girls, and ordinary citizens, notably prohibits the broadcasting of women’s voices in public, further intensifying the restrictions on their freedoms.
