The U.S. Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) has reported that the Taliban’s new “morality law” significantly expands on existing decrees, curbing the human rights and fundamental freedoms of Afghans in both public and private spheres.
The report highlights that the law grants broad authority to Taliban inspectors to enforce these strict measures.
According to SIGAR, the new legislation effectively nullifies the few remaining liberties for women and disregards recent appeals from the international community for adherence to international human rights standards. “The law also formally revokes the few freedoms left to women and appears to directly reject recent enticements from the international community to advance engagement in return for respecting international human rights standards,” the report noted.
Sima Bahous, the U.N. Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of U.N. Women, warned the U.N. Security Council of the law’s potential repercussions, including a projected increase in maternal mortality by up to 50%, higher rates of suicidality, and significant economic damage. “Afghan women in and out of Afghanistan have been protesting the morality law, especially its ban on women’s voices, by posting videos of themselves singing online,” SIGAR cited.
The report included a statement from Fatima Etimadi, as reported by National Public Radio (NPR): “Every day the Taliban seeks new ways to restrict women. They’re making women die while they’re alive.”
SIGAR’s analysis pointed out that the law is predicated on the belief that women’s voices are inherently alluring or immodest. Although women bear the harshest restrictions, men are not exempt from the impact. “Afghan men interviewed by The Washington Post described their fear of being questioned and humiliated by ministry enforcers,” the report noted.
Since the law’s implementation, enforcers have begun knocking on the doors of men who fail to attend mosque services. Men who repeatedly neglect to pray at the mosque can be taken to court and sentenced under sharia law. For offenses like adultery, punishments can range from flogging to execution, depending on the decision of ministry enforcers.
The report also referenced an analysis by the U.S. Institute of Peace, which indicated that the Taliban’s interpretation of Islamic law is contributing to internal tensions within the group. SIGAR underscored that many of the edicts imposed over the past three years mirror those enforced during the Taliban’s 1996–2001 regime, despite earlier promises suggesting a moderation of their policies before their 2021 return to power.
