The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) says it has documented at least 443 cases of arbitrary detention and 97 cases of mistreatment of Afghan women and men by Taliban morality inspectors over a three-month period.
In its latest report on the human rights situation in Afghanistan, released on Thursday, October 15, UNAMA said the detentions were mainly carried out over alleged violations of the Taliban’s dress code for women, or men trimming their beards or having “Western-style” haircuts.
According to the mission, listening to music and failing to attend congregational prayers were also among the reasons for the documented cases.
The report states that Article 24 of the Taliban’s Law on the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice provides for imprisonment of up to three days for people who commit acts deemed immoral.
However, UNAMA documented cases in which individuals were held for more than three days on allegations of violating the law.
In one such case, on August 17, the Taliban’s Department for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice detained two barbers for one month in Aliabad Bazaar, Yusuf Khel district, Paktika province, accusing them of trimming beards and giving “Western-style” haircuts.
In another incident, on August 21, Taliban morality inspectors closed around 100 shops in Hesar-e Shahi Bazaar, Rodat district, Nangarhar province, because the shopkeepers had not attended congregational prayers.
