Taliban officials in the western Afghan city of Herat have detained the manager of a hotel and one of his employees for shaving his beard and wearing a tie, local sources say.
Sources told KabulNow newspaper that officers from the Taliban’s Ministry for the Protection of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice detained Aminullah Azizi, the manager of the Hilal Heriwa Hotel, along with a staff member, accusing them of violating dress and appearance rules.
According to the sources, Azizi and his staff were wearing standard uniforms commonly used in international hotels. Taliban morality officials had reportedly warned them on several occasions not to wear suits and ties and to grow beards.
The sources said that on Monday (December 22), Taliban officials visited the hotel and summoned Azizi to their office. Azizi had planned to go voluntarily on Tuesday, but before that, at around 8:00am, officers arrived at the hotel and detained him and one employee. The sources allege the arrest was carried out with violence and verbal abuse.
As of Tuesday evening (December 23), Azizi and his colleague had not been released. According to the sources, local businessmen and community elders attempted to secure their release, but their efforts were unsuccessful.
The Taliban have previously detained and harassed government employees and civilians for shaving their beards. The group has made beards mandatory for men and the wearing of the burqa compulsory for women.
The Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice is responsible for enforcing the Taliban’s restrictions on personal appearance and social behavior.
