The Taliban has issued an order criminalizing violations of women’s dress codes.
“This is not a restriction on women but an order of the Quran,” said Akif Muhajir, a spokesman for the Ministry of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, citing Taliban’s interpretation of Islamic law. “It is the order of Allah and the prophet Muhammad.”
The ministry said in a statement that the chadori (blue Afghan burqa) is the “best hijab” of choice. Women can choose to cover from head to toe which is called a burqa, or a veil of cloth that covers the face with a scarf and a long dress called an abaya.
The ministry’s statement explains: “Any garment covering the body of a woman is considered a hijab, provided that it is not too tight to represent the body parts nor is it thin enough to reveal the body.”
“If a woman is caught without a hijab, her mahram will be warned. The second time, the guardian will be summoned, and after the repeated summons, her guardian will be imprisoned for three days, and government employees who violate the hijab rule will be fired” according to the statement.
