Khalid Hanafi, the Taliban’s Minister for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, has said that the group will not retreat from enforcing Islamic law despite what he described as “negative propaganda” against it. He also rejected international criticism of the restrictions imposed on Afghan women, claiming that human rights in Afghanistan are being upheld in accordance with “Islamic principles.”
The remarks were made during Hanafi’s visit to Afghanistan’s western provinces, where he met with religious scholars, tribal elders, and local officials. During the meetings, he reaffirmed the Taliban’s commitment to continuing its policies and defended the group’s enforcement of what it considers Islamic law.
Addressing international criticism of restrictions on women, Hanafi argued that some countries remain silent when women and children are killed elsewhere in the world, yet object to the enforcement of issues such as the hijab in Afghanistan.
Earlier, during a visit to Herat, Hanafi defended the recent arrests, saying they targeted individuals who, according to him, were “promoting improper hijab.” In recent weeks, Taliban officials from the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice in Herat have detained a number of women whom the group accused of failing to comply with its prescribed dress code.
Hanafi also criticized prevailing international views on human rights, claiming that governments and organizations critical of the Taliban “do not have a proper understanding of the definition of human rights.” He maintained that, from the Taliban’s perspective, human rights in Afghanistan are safeguarded on the basis of Islamic principles.
In another part of his remarks, Hanafi urged media outlets to first observe the Law on the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice in their own conduct before communicating it to the public. According to him, the media can serve as a “pulpit” for society under the current circumstances.
The comments come as, according to some observers, the Taliban are simultaneously continuing arrests in several provinces while seeking to consolidate support among religious scholars, tribal elders, and influential local figures in an effort to prevent the emergence of public protests and popular uprisings.
Writer:Salima Aryaei
