Female TV presenters defy Taliban order to cover faces

FEMALE presenters on Afghanistan’s leading TV channels went on air yesterday without covering their faces, defying a Taliban order that they conceal their appearance to comply with the group’s austere brand of Islam.

Since surging back to power last year the Taliban have imposed a slew of restrictions on civil society, many focused on reining in the rights of women and girls.

Earlier this month, Hibatullah Akhundzada, Afghanistan’s supreme leader, issued a diktat for women to cover up fully in public, including their faces, ideally with the traditional burqa.

The feared the Ministry for Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice ordered female TV presenters to follow suit by yesterday. Previously they had only been required to wear a headscarf.

But broadcasters Tolonews, Shamshad TV and 1TV all aired live shows with female presenters’ faces visible.

“Our female colleagues are concerned that if they cover their faces, the next thing they will be told is to stop working,” said Abid Ehsas, head of new at Shamshad TV.

“This is the reason they have not observed the order so far,” said, adding the channel had requested further discussions with the Taliban on the issue.

Taliban orders such as this have caused many female journalists to leave Afghanistan since the hardline Islamists stormed back to power, one female presenter said.

“Their latest order has broken the hearts of women presenters and many now think they have no future in this country,” she said, requesting not to be named.

“I’m thinking of leaving the country. Decrees like this will force many profes

‘Their order has broken the hearts of women presenters and many think they have no future in this country’

sionals to leave.”

Mohammad Sadeq Akif Mohajir, spokesman for the vice ministry, said the women presenters were violating the Taliban directive.

“If they don’t comply we will talk to the managers and guardians of the presenters,” he said.

“Anyone who lives under a particular system and government has to obey the laws and orders of that system, so they must implement the order,” he said.

The Taliban have demanded that female government employees be fired if they fail to follow the new dress code.