Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers on Sunday began implementing an order that required all female TV news anchors in the country to cover their faces while on-air. The move is part of a drastic change that has been condemned by human rights activists.
After the order was announced on Thursday, only a handful of news outlets followed suit. But on Sunday, most women anchors were seen with their faces covered after the Taliban’s Vice and Virtue Ministry enforced the decree.
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The Ministry of Information and Culture had earlier announced that the policy was “final and non-negotiable”.
Sonia Niyazi, a TV anchor for TOLOnews, said, “It is just an external culture that forces us to wear masks and it can create a problem for us.”
A local media official confirmed that his station had received the order last week, but was forced to implement it on Sunday after it was reported that it was not up for discussion. He spoke on the condition that he and his station remain anonymous for fear of reprisal from Taliban officials.
During the Taliban’s last time in power in Afghanistan from 1996-2001, they imposed heavy restrictions on women, requiring them to wear the broad burqa and banning them from public life. and education.
After seizing power again in August, the Taliban eased their restrictions somewhat, initially announcing no dress code for women. But in recent weeks, he has forged a sharp, hard pivot that has confirmed rights activists’ worst fears and further complicated the Taliban’s dealings with an already distrustful international community.
Earlier this month, the Taliban publicly ordered all women to wear head-to-toe clothing, leaving only their eyes visible. The decree stated that women should leave home only when necessary and that male relatives would face punishment for violating the women’s dress code, starting with a subpoena, and extending to a court hearing and jail time.
The Taliban leadership has also barred girls from going to school after sixth grade, reversing previous promises by Taliban officials that girls of all ages would be allowed an education.
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