Afghan women are facing new restrictions that forbid them from praying loudly or reciting the Quran in front of other women, according to a Taliban government minister. These restrictions are part of morality laws that also ban women from raising their voices and showing their faces outside the home. Women are already excluded from education beyond sixth grade, many public spaces, and most jobs. The Vice and Virtue Ministry, responsible for enforcing these laws, has not clarified if this new prohibition will become official. Minister Khalid Hanafi stated that women cannot recite Quranic verses, perform recitations, or even say phrases like “Allahu Akbar” or “subhanallah” in front of other women. Singing and performing the call to prayer are also not permitted. The ministry has launched a nationwide awareness program to educate the public about these laws, which have a disproportionate impact on women. Since the Taliban seized power in 2021, the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice has enforced decrees that limit women’s freedoms, such as dress codes, segregated education, and the requirement for a male guardian when traveling. Provinces have also banned the media from showing images of living things as part of these controversial morality laws.
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