KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – At least 50 men have been detained by the Taliban’s morality police in southern Kandahar province for shaving their beards, local sources told KabulNow.
The arrests occurred over the past three days in various areas of Kandahar city. Some detainees were released after spending a night in custody, while others remain in detention, the sources said.
The Taliban’s department of vice and virtue in Kandahar has also banned barbers from shaving men’s beards and is reportedly preparing to expand enforcement, targeting not only clean-shaven men but also those who miss communal prayers.
Local Taliban authorities have yet to comment on the matter.
Soon after returning to power in 2021, the Taliban issued a decree prohibiting men from shaving or trimming their beards below fist length. The group also banned what it deems “un-Islamic” hairstyles, as well as the wearing of ties and shorts.
Violations of this decree can lead to severe punishment. Many barbershops have been forced to shut down, negatively impacting livelihoods amid an escalating economic crisis.
UN experts and activists say the measures reflect the Taliban’s harsh rule of the 1990s and indicate that their approach remains unchanged. They warn that without a clear strategy to challenge these actions, engagement with the Taliban could reinforce their sense of impunity and lead to further abuses.
