Taliban authorities have arrested 14 people in northern Afghanistan for playing musical instruments and singing activities the group has severely restricted since returning to power in 2021.
The arrests took place Thursday night in Takhar province, where police said the individuals gathered in a residential home to perform music, violating the group’s ban on such expressions.
“Fourteen individuals… took advantage of the nighttime to gather in a residential house where they were playing musical instruments and singing songs, which caused disturbance to the public,” the police said in a statement. The detainees are currently under investigation.
Since reclaiming power, the Taliban have gradually imposed laws that reflect their hardline interpretation of Islamic law. Public music, whether through live performances, car radios, or television broadcasts, has been systematically banned.
Music schools have been closed, and authorities have destroyed instruments and sound systems, citing “moral corruption” and societal disruption.
Weddings are no longer permitted to feature music, though it is reportedly still played discreetly in female-only sections.
Following the crackdown, many Afghan musicians fled the country, fearing persecution and seeking new livelihoods in exile.
The Taliban have instead promoted unaccompanied vocal chants and Islamic poetry as acceptable alternatives to music mirroring restrictions imposed during their previous rule from 1996 to 2001.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment