U.N. ‘concerned’ by Afghanistan morality law

U.N. ‘concerned’ by Afghanistan morality law

Subject: IR

Sec: Places in news

Context:

The U.N. mission in Afghanistan was “concerned” about a morality law recently ratified by the Taliban authorities, criticising in particular restrictions on women.

Afghanistan morality law:

• The Taliban authorities announced the codification of a law with 35 articles detailing wide-ranging behaviour and lifestyle restrictions based on their strict interpretation of Islamic law.
• The law sets out graduated punishments for non-compliance – from verbal warnings to threats, fines and detentions of varying lengths – imposed by the morality police under the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice.
• It is a distressing vision for Afghanistan’s future, where moral inspectors have discretionary powers to threaten and detain anyone based on broad and sometimes vague lists of infractions.
• After decades of war and in the midst of a terrible humanitarian crisis, the Afghan people deserve much better than being threatened or jailed if they happen to be late for prayers, glance at a member of the opposite sex who is not a family member, or possess a photo of a loved one.
• Many components of the law have already been informally in place since the Taliban returned to power in August 2021.
• Women have borne the brunt of restrictions the N. has labelled “gender apartheid”, which have pushed them from public life.
• The law says women must cover their faces and bodies if they leave the house, as well as ensure their voices are not heard.
• The U.N. also expressed concern over restrictions on religious and press freedoms in the law, which stipulates media must not publish “content hostile to Sharia law and religion” or “that shows living beings”.