The Taliban has imposed yet another oppressive restriction on Afghan women: a ban on speaking or praying aloud, whether in public or in private. Women are now prohibited from any vocal expression that could be heard by other women, even within their own homes. This mandate, issued by the Taliban’s Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, extends to reciting the Quran and voicing common phrases central to Islamic faith, stripping women of basic freedoms to communicate and practice their religion audibly.
This policy follows a disturbing series of restrictions that have already banned women from speaking in public, participating in call-to-prayer, and now effectively prevent even intimate communication with other women. It marks an intensification of the Taliban’s approach to silencing women, extending into every facet of daily life and deepening Afghanistan’s already severe gender divide.
Human rights activists have condemned this latest measure, calling it a harsh attempt to isolate women further, curbing their social interactions and suppressing any collective voice.
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