Local sources in Jawzjan province report a recent incident where residents confronted and rebuked an official associated with the Taliban’s Department for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, commonly referred to as the Taliban’s morality police.
According to accounts provided to Hasht-e Subh Daily, the incident occurred on Thursday morning, December 21, in the third district of Jawzjan city. The Taliban official in question, identified as “Mawlawi Ehsanullah,” is said to be currently receiving medical treatment at the provincial hospital following the confrontation.
Sources suggest that residents expressed their disapproval of Mawlawi Ehsanullah’s actions, accusing him of subjecting a woman to harassment in public. Allegedly, the harassment was linked to the woman’s perceived failure to adhere to the Taliban’s prescribed hijab standards.
As of now, the Taliban have not issued any comments on the matter.
Since the Taliban dismantled the Ministry of Women’s Affairs in Afghanistan and established the Department for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, concerns have risen regarding the increased suppression of women. The group has intensified its monitoring of women’s clothing, vocal tone, interactions with men, and use of transportation through the deployment of white-clothed patrols on the streets.
This heightened scrutiny often leads to instances of violence, public humiliation, and, in extreme cases, torture and the imprisonment of women. The incident in Jawzjan province serves as another example of the ongoing challenges faced by women in the wake of these changes.
