The Afghan Taliban authorities set fire to musical instruments and other equipment in Herat province over the weekend, describing music as "immoral." Aziz Rahman Al-Muhajir, the head of the Herat department of Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, asserted that "promoting music leads to moral corruption, and playing it misleads the youth." Last Saturday, musical instruments and equipment worth hundreds of dollars were burned, most of which were collected from wedding halls in the city. The items included a guitar, two string instruments, a harmonium, a drum, and sound amplifiers.
Last week, thousands of beauty salons across Afghanistan permanently closed their doors following a decree from the Taliban authorities, depriving women of one of the few sources of income still available to them, as well as a rare space for social interaction. Since regaining power in August 2021, the Taliban has excluded women from most high schools, universities, and public offices, prohibited them from entering parks, gardens, sports facilities, and public baths, and required them to cover themselves completely when leaving their homes.
