Female TV presenters at major TV networks in Afghanistan appeared on air today with their faces uncovered in defiance of the Taliban's order for women to cover their faces when in public.
Since returning to power last year, the Taliban have imposed severe restrictions on society, many of them even violating the rights of women and girls.
Earlier this month Afghanistan's supreme leader, Hibatullah Ahujada, issued a decree calling for women to wear burqas, the Islamic garment that covers the entire body and face, in public and to stay at home unless there is a good reason to go out.
The Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Corruption has called on female TV presenters to cover their faces, implementing the measure later today.
Previously they were required to wear an Islamic headscarf.
However, TV networks TOLOnews, Shamshad TV and 1TV today all aired programmes with female presenters with their faces uncovered.
Our female colleagues are worried that if they cover their faces the next thing they will be asked to do is to stop working, says Shamshad TV network's head of news, Abid Ehshas.
This is why they have so far not been disciplined, he told AFP, adding that the network has requested further talks with the Taliban on this issue.
Taliban orders like this one have forced many female journalists to leave Afghanistan since the hardline Islamists returned to power, a TV presenter says.
The latest order has broken the hearts of TV presenters and many now think they have no future in this country. I'm thinking of leaving here. Orders like this will force many professionals to leave, she says, asking not to be named.
Implement the order
Mohammad Sadeq Akif Mohashir, a spokesman for that ministry, said the TV presenters are violating the Taliban's order.
If they do not comply, we will talk to the presenters' managers and guardians. Anyone who lives under a certain system and a government is required to obey the laws and orders of that system, so they must implement the order, he told AFP.
The Taliban have demanded that female government employees be fired if they do not comply with the order regarding their appearance.
But men who are civil servants also risk being suspended if their wives or daughters do not comply with the order.
As Mohashir said, media directors and male guardians of recalcitrant TV presenters will also face penalties in such a case.
During the two decades of the US-led military intervention in Afghanistan, women and girls have achieved some victories in this deeply patriarchal society.
Shortly after taking power, the Taliban promised a softer version of the hard-line Islamist rule that characterized their first period of power, from 1996 to 2001.
However, since taking over they have again banned women from travelling unaccompanied and girls from attending high school.
In the 20 years since their removal from power in 2001, many women in the conservative province still wore burqas.
But most Afghan women, including TV presenters, chose the Islamic headscarf.
TV networks have already stopped showing drama series and soap operas featuring women, at the Taliban's request.
Source: protothema.gr
Contents of this article including associated images are belongs Cyprus Times
Views & opinions expressed are those of the author and/or Cyprus Times
Source
