KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The Taliban have detained 21 people in Afghanistan’s northern Baghlan province on charges of playing music and possessing alcoholic beverages, the group’s police command said on Thursday.
In a statement, the Taliban police command in Baghlan said the arrests were carried out during a raid on a residential house located in the first police district of Pul-e-Khumri, the provincial capital.
The statement said security forces confiscated musical instruments, including dambura, tabla, ghichak, and harmonium, along with 13 bottles of wine from the property.
According to the police command, the individuals are currently under investigation and will be referred to the Taliban judicial authorities once initial procedures are completed.
Since returning to power in August 2021, the Taliban have imposed sweeping restrictions on music across Afghanistan. The group has banned music at weddings, public gatherings, and media broadcasts, describing it as contrary to its interpretation of Islamic law.
Authorities have also carried out raids in different provinces, confiscating and, in some cases, publicly destroying musical instruments. Dozens of people have been detained in similar cases over the past four years.
The Taliban also barred music from television and radio broadcasts, and several media outlets have faced restrictions or closure for violating the policy.
The measures mirror policies enforced during the Taliban’s previous rule in the late 1990s, when music and public performances were also largely banned.
Many Afghan musicians have left the country due to restrictions and economic pressure, while others have abandoned public performances or gone into hiding, citing fear of detention or harassment.
