Taliban's "beardless man" move: 281 security personnel dismissed

In Afghanistan, the Taliban, which regained control in 2021 after 20 years, announced that 281 beardless men in the security forces have been dismissed over the past year and that more than 13,000 people have been detained for engaging in 'immoral acts.' The Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice stated that about half of those detained were released within 24 hours, but did not provide detailed information regarding the specific charges or the gender of those detained. 

FOUND NOT TO HAVE GROWN BEARDS

According to the Reuters news agency, Mohibullah Mokhlis, the director of planning and legislation at the ministry, said in a press conference that 21,328 musical instruments had been destroyed over the past year and that thousands of computer operators had been prevented from selling 'immoral and unethical' films on the market. The 281 men found not to have grown beards were also dismissed from the security forces. 

In the 3 years since the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan, human rights and freedom of expression, particularly women's rights, have faced immense pressure. The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) had previously reported that ministry officials were stopping and detaining women on the grounds that they were not dressed in accordance with Islam. A Taliban official defended these claims as 'baseless,' arguing that the rules were an implementation of their interpretation of Islamic law and Afghan traditions. 

'WORKING ON A NEW PLAN'

The Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice did not disclose how many women have faced sanctions due to violations of the mandatory dress code and the ban on traveling without a male guardian. Meanwhile, the official stated that they are 'working on a new plan' to ensure compliance with the rules and bans in question.