The Taliban’s Ministry for the Prevention of Vice and Propagation of Virtue fired over 280 Afghan police officers for not growing beards, demonstrating their strict adherence to conventional norms. Over the past year, more than 13,000 people have been imprisoned for “immoral acts,” and half of them were freed within 24 hours.
The ministry’s Director of Planning and Legislation, Mohibullah Mokhlis, told a press conference that the Taliban enforces more than facial hair. In a shocking display of moral policing, the ministry destroyed 21,328 musical instruments as immoral symbols. They also stopped computer operators from selling “immoral and unethical” films locally.
The Taliban’s harsh tactics promote virtue, including personal attractiveness, culture, and art. Their strict approach affects law enforcement and entertainment as they try to modify Afghan society to their ideological norms.
These activities demonstrate the Taliban’s determination to regulate public morality and leave a lasting mark on Afghan society and culture.
Image Credit: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/violence-imploding-economy-discrimination-afghanistan-year-taliban-rec-rcna42806
