Afghanistan’s Taliban-controlled Ministry for the Prevention of Vice and Propagation of Virtue announced on Tuesday that it has dismissed more than 280 members of its security forces for failing to grow beards, and detained over 13,000 people for “immoral acts” over the past year.
During a press conference, Mohibullah Mokhlis, the ministry’s Director of Planning and Legislation, revealed that roughly half of those detained were released within 24 hours. However, the ministry did not specify the nature of the alleged offenses or provide a breakdown of the detainees’ genders.
The ministry, tasked with enforcing the Taliban’s interpretation of Islamic law, reported the destruction of 21,328 musical instruments during the past year and claimed to have prevented thousands of computer operators from distributing “immoral and unethical” films in local markets.
In a move reflecting the group’s stringent interpretation of Islamic law, 281 security force members were dismissed for not adhering to the Taliban’s requirement for all men to maintain a beard. This policy is part of a broader effort to enforce strict religious codes across the country.
The Ministry for the Prevention of Vice and Propagation of Virtue, which took over the former women’s ministry’s premises in Kabul after the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, has faced criticism from human rights organizations and the United Nations for its restrictive measures on women and the suppression of free expression.
Mokhlis stated that “Based on the guidance of the Supreme Leader, the draft plan for observing women’s hijab (Islamic dress) has been formulated and approved.” The ministry has previously emphasized that women should cover their faces or wear a full-body burqa, and has suggested that enforcement will focus on “encouragement” by targeting male family members rather than women directly.
While most Afghan women traditionally covered their hair in public, particularly in conservative regions, some—especially in Kabul—did not regularly cover their faces or wear a burqa before the Taliban’s return.
In addition to these measures, the ministry claimed to have prevented just over 200 cases of human trafficking involving women and intervened in more than 2,600 cases of violence against women.