ISLAMABAD -
The Taliban on Monday rejected concerns and criticism raised by the United Nations over new vice and virtue laws that ban women in Afghanistan from baring their faces and speaking in public places.
Roza Otunbayeva, who heads the UN mission in the country, UNAMA, said Sunday that the laws provided a 鈥渄istressing vision鈥 for Afghanistan鈥檚 future. She said the laws extend the 鈥渁lready intolerable restrictions鈥 on the rights of women and girls, with 鈥渆ven the sound of a female voice鈥 outside the home apparently deemed a moral violation.
Zabihullah Mujahid, the main spokesman for the Taliban鈥檚 government, issued a statement warning against 鈥渁rrogance鈥 from those who he said may not be familiar with Islamic law, particularly non-Muslims who might express reservations or objections.
鈥淲e urge a thorough understanding of these laws and a respectful acknowledgment of Islamic values. To reject these laws without such understanding is, in our view, an expression of arrogance,鈥 he said.
Afghanistan鈥檚 Taliban rulers on Wednesday issued the country鈥檚 first set of laws to discourage vice and promote virtue. They include a requirement for a woman to conceal her face, body and voice outside the home. They also ban images of living beings, such as photographs.
鈥淎fter decades of war and in the midst of a terrible humanitarian crisis, the Afghan people deserve much better than being threatened or jailed if they happen to be late for prayers, glance at a member of the opposite sex who is not a family member, or possess a photo of a loved one,鈥 Otunbayeva said.
In response to the UNAMA statement, Mujahid added, 鈥淲e must stress that the concerns raised by various parties will not sway the Islamic Emirate from its commitment to upholding and enforcing Islamic law."
In rare public criticism of Afghanistan's rulers, the Japanese Embassy in Kabul expressed its deep concern about the continuing restrictions on women and girls as announced in the laws.
The embassy said Monday on the social platform X that it would keep urging authorities to 鈥渓isten to the voice of Afghan women and girls for education, employment, and freedom of movement鈥 for the future of the country.