The Taliban’s morality police are contributing to a climate of fear among Afghans, UN says

The Taliban’s morality police are contributing to a climate of fear and intimidation among Afghans, according to a U.N. report published Tuesday. Edicts and some of the methods used to enforce them constituted a violation of human rights and fundamental freedoms, the report said.

The Taliban set up a ministry for the “propagation of virtue and the prevention of vice” after seizing power in 2021.

Since then, the ministry has enforced decrees issued by the Taliban leadership that have a disproportionate impact on women and girls, like dress codes, segregated education and employment, and having a male guardian when they travel.

“The punishments attached to non-compliance with instructions and decrees are often arbitrary, severe and disproportionate,” said the report from the U.N. Mission in Afghanistan. “Sweeping bans with a discriminatory effect on women have been introduced. Human rights violations, as well as the unpredictability of enforcement measures, contribute to a climate of fear and intimidation among segments of the population.”