KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Hibatullah Akhundzada, the Taliban’s reclusive leader, has called on religious scholars in southern Kandahar to fully cooperate with the group’s officials in implementing the newly ratified morality law.
During a visit to Spin Boldak district, Akhundzada emphasized the daily teaching of “Islamic faith, beliefs, and prayer” to villagers and mosque attendees, announced the Taliban governor’s office in Kandahar on Sunday, December 1.
He stressed the importance of “obedience,” “piety,” “consultation with scholars,” and adherence to religious guidance as key to preserving the Taliban regime.
No audio of his speech was broadcast and no video or photographs of Haibatullah were published.
The morality law, enacted in August, imposes sweeping restrictions on personal freedoms and grants broad enforcement powers to the Taliban’s morality police.
The 35-article law mandates that women wear full-body veils in public, forbids them from speaking or singing audibly in any setting, and bans their direct eye contact with unrelated men. Women are also prohibited from using taxis without a male guardian.
For men, the regulations prohibit wearing ties, shorts, or “un-Islamic” hairstyles and require beards to be at least fist-length. Non-compliance is met with penalties ranging from verbal warnings and fines to arrests lasting from one hour to three days, with repeat offenders referred to the courts.
The morality law builds on Akhundzada’s broader agenda of restricting women’s rights. Over 100 edicts issued under his leadership ban girls’ education beyond the sixth grade, prohibit women from higher education and employment—including roles with UN agencies—and restrict their presence in public spaces like restaurants, gyms, beauty salons, and parks.
These measures have been described by the UN as “gender apartheid.”
International experts and the UN have drawn parallels between the Taliban’s current measures and their draconian rule in the 1990s. Last year, UN agencies, including UN Women, reported that these policies have severely impacted Afghan women’s mental health, with 70% experiencing anxiety, depression, and isolation. Symptoms such as insomnia, aggression, and suicidal thoughts have become increasingly common.
The law has drawn widespread condemnation from human rights organizations, Afghan citizens, and international bodies. Roza Otunbayeva, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and head of UNAMA described the legislation as a “distressing vision” for Afghanistan’s future, criticizing the morality police’s vague and arbitrary powers to intimidate and detain individuals.
Despite widespread backlash, Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid defended the laws as “grounded in Islamic principles” and based on “Hanafi jurisprudence,” dismissing criticism as “baseless.”
Akhundzada, a staunch conservative cleric from the Noorzai tribe, has solidified his authority over the Taliban’s political, military, judicial, and religious affairs since their return to power in August 2021. Operating from the group’s stronghold in Kandahar, he maintains a low profile, avoiding public appearances and interactions with foreign entities.
