Taliban enacts law banning women's voices in public spaces in Afghanistan

The Taliban government in Afghanistan has announced a new set of draconian laws that severely restrict the rights and freedoms of women. The laws, which were approved by Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, include a ban on women speaking in public, showing their uncovered faces in public, and a requirement for women to veil their bodies at all times in public. The laws also cover other aspects of everyday life, such as public transportation, music, and celebrations. Article 13 of the law specifically targets women, stating that they must cover their faces in public to avoid temptation and tempting others. The laws are part of the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice's first formal declaration of laws since the Taliban took power in August 2021.