By order of the Taliban, women on Afghan television can only be seen with full veils. Only the eyes of moderators and reporters were visible today. In solidarity with colleagues, most TV presenters wore black nose and mouth masks for the top early evening news (local time), as seen on Tolonews or 1TV.
In an attempt to persuade the Taliban to renege on the instruction that has been in effect since Saturday, women on TV in Afghanistan demonstratively appeared in front of cameras without covering their faces that day. The Taliban reportedly threatened to fire those who disobeyed the order.
“Deep Grief”
“Today we are in deep mourning,” Tolonews editor-in-chief Achpolwak Safi wrote on Facebook. “We fight and continue our work, even in the burqa. Nothing can stop us,” Ariana News anchor Basira Joia said during a live broadcast, her voice breaking behind her veil.
Since returning to power, the militant Islamist Taliban has imposed stricter regulations on public life in Afghanistan. Dress regulations for women in public were recently reinforced again with the wearing of a face veil – an instruction that must now also be followed in front of the cameras.
In early May, the Taliban described the chadori – a head-to-toe robe, mostly black – as the best form of Islamic veil for women in public. Under Taliban rule until the invasion of Western troops in 2001, the burqa, a full veil often blue with a lattice in front of the field of vision, was mandatory for women outside the home.