For the past three years, since the Taliban took control in Afghanistan, women have faced a myriad of restrictions on their individual rights and personal freedoms, starting with their attire. In contrast, men in urban centers have continued to enjoy the privileges of a freer life.
However, as noted by the Washington Post, for the past month, the regime has begun implementing laws that also affect men’s freedoms.
The new laws require men to grow their beards to the length of a fist, forbid them from imitating non-Muslims in appearance or behavior—widely interpreted as a ban on wearing jeans—and restrict hairstyles that do not comply with Islamic law, effectively banning short or Western-style haircuts. Men are now also prohibited from looking at women other than their wives or female relatives.
These initial serious restrictions on men surprised many in Afghanistan. In a society where the male voice is considered significantly more powerful than that of women, some are now questioning whether they should have spoken up earlier to defend the freedoms of their wives and daughters—ultimately, their own freedoms as well.
Of course, the new Taliban rules for men pale in comparison to the restrictions imposed on girls and women, who continue to be barred from attending school beyond sixth grade, excluded from universities, and recently prohibited from raising their voices in public, among many other regulations.
Nonetheless, the recently authorized “morality police,” known for their white robes, have been visiting the homes of men in certain areas of Kabul over the past four weeks, targeting those who do not regularly attend mosque for prayers. Government officials report concerns over being dismissed for failing to grow their beards, and some barbers are now refusing to cut hair for fear of punishment. Increasingly, taxi drivers are being forced to stop in the middle of the road for violating gender segregation rules by transporting women without a male escort or playing music.
The new laws empower the morality police to detain suspects for up to three days. In serious cases, such as repeated failure to attend mosque prayers, suspects may be referred to courts for trial and punishment based on interpretations of Islamic sharia law. Violations of the new rules are expected to incur fines or prison sentences. However, those found guilty of certain offenses, such as adultery, could face flogging or death by stoning.
These new restrictions appear to reflect a broader shift in the balance of power within the Taliban, with more conservative elements either gaining influence or seeking to impose their views more aggressively in urban areas, according to Western officials and Afghan critics of the Taliban.
The crackdown by the morality police in urban areas, where certain religious rules were rarely enforced, has heightened concerns among women. For men, as the Washington Post concludes, the new regulations have come as a shock.
