Taliban to Enforce Ban on Images of ‘Living Things

The Taliban is set to implement a ban on images depicting living things, citing religious and cultural reasons, as part of their ongoing societal regulations in Afghanist

The Taliban has pledged to enforce a ban on images depicting humans and animals in Afghan media as part of their broader effort to implement Sharia law throughout the country.

After initially promising a more moderate approach upon seizing power in 2021, the Taliban has since implemented numerous restrictions. These include removing images of women from public spaces and banning “immoral” films and musical instruments.

“The law will be applicable throughout Afghanistan and its implementation will occur gradually,” Saiful Islam Khyber, spokesman for the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, stated to AFP on Monday.

Khyber asserted that “coercion has no place in the implementation of the law,” and mentioned that officials would concentrate on persuading people that depicting living beings is “truly contrary” to Islamic law.

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Taliban officials, government agencies, and media outlets operating in the country persistently share photos of individuals on their websites and social media platforms. Nevertheless, Khyber informed AFP that Afghan authorities have started working towards enforcing restrictions in certain provinces.

Officials in the southern Kandahar province had earlier prohibited taking pictures or videos of “living things,” though this rule did not apply to media. In February 2024, AFP reported that Mohammad Hashem Shaheed Wror, a senior Justice Ministry official, informed staff that “taking pictures is a major sin.”

In the 1990s, the Taliban controlled much of civil war-torn Afghanistan until they were expelled from major cities during a US-led invasion in 2001 following the September 11 terrorist attacks. Subsequently, the group waged a two-decade guerrilla war against American forces and the UN-supported government in Kabul. The Taliban regained control of Kabul as Western troops withdrew in August 2021, prompting President Ashraf Ghani to flee.

The Taliban government has not received recognition from the UN, yet it maintains working relationships with several countries, including Russia.