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Taliban orders all Afghan women TV presenters to cover their faces on air

Taliban calls its latest diktat on women’s clothing a ‘final and non-negotiable’ order

Arpan Rai
Friday 20 May 2022 11:53 BST
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All women television anchors in Afghanistan will now be required to cover their faces while presenting on-air programmes, according to an order by the Taliban.

The latest diktat on women’s clothing is a “final and non-negotiable” order and not up for discussion, a statement released by the Taliban’s virtue and vice ministry said. The order was also confirmed by the Taliban’s information and culture ministry.

“The Islamic Emirate in a new order demanded all female presenters working in all TV channels to cover their faces while presenting programs,” tweeted national news channel TOLOnews on Thursday.

The diktat has been issued to all media outlets in Afghanistan, the news channel pointed out.

“Informing MOBY Group of the order, representatives of the ministries of Vice and Virtue and Information and Culture called it a final verdict and not up for discussion,” it added.

MOBY Group is the privately owned media group that owns TOLOnews.

Akif Mahajar, the spokesperson for Taliban’s vice and virtue ministry, said he had met with media officials and “they accepted our advice very happily,” reported the Dawn newspaper.

He claimed the move would be received well by locals.

The female anchors have to comply with the order by 21 May, the spokesperson added.

Several television anchors took to social media and shared photos of their covered faces.

“This is me, Yalda Ali, a woman being erased, on orders from the Virtue and Vice Ministry. We are required to appear like this, hereafter,” an anchor with TOLOnews said, and shared a photo where she is seen wearing a red hijab and face mask.

Another local media official also confirmed receiving the order and said they had no option but to follow the guidelines issued by the Taliban.

Several journalists also took to social media to condemn the order, reminiscent of the Taliban’s previous regressive and conservative regime with reduced rights for girls and women.

One 15-second timelapse video showed an Afghan anchor preparing for a show by wearing a mask, face and head covering.

The order comes shortly after the militant group ordered all women in Afghanistan to cover up from head-to-toe and added that women should leave their house only when necessary.

In case the dress code decree is violated, the Taliban said its officials will serve punishments to the male relatives and issue summons. Punishments could also include court hearings and jail time.

The ultra-conservative militant group heading the Afghan administration also stripped girls’ right to education last month, barring them from attending school from sixth grade onwards.

It came despite Taliban officials promising to uphold the rights of girls and women to study and work when the group first seized control of the country by force 10 months ago. Since taking over, the group has also asked men not to shave and to reject western clothing.

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