KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has condemned a recent Taliban decree prohibiting Afghan women from speaking or praying aloud within earshot of other women, calling the move “horrifying.”
“The Taliban’s latest edict is horrifying,” Trudeau posted on X. “Banning Afghan women and girls from hearing each other’s voices in public is a deliberate effort to erase them from society.”
“We condemn the Taliban’s appalling assault on the rights of women and girls,” he added.
Trudeau’s remarks follow a statement by Khalid Hanafi, the Taliban’s Minister for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, outlining additional restrictions on women’s voices.
According to Hanafi, Taliban regulations now prohibit women from singing, reciting, or speaking loudly in public spaces. He stated that adult women are barred from using religious phrases like “Alhamdulillah” or “Subhanallah” in the presence of other women. Additionally, the rules forbid women from making the call to prayer or using takbirs (expressions of faith).
Since the Taliban’s return to power, Afghan women and girls have been subject to severe restrictions, including bans from schools, universities, and workplaces, effectively silencing them in both public and professional spaces.
