Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada has officially banned romantic poetry and his criticism under a new law signed by him.
The “Poetry Regulation Law,” issued by the Taliban’s Ministry of Justice and published in the official gazette on Saturday, August 30, contains two chapters and 13 articles. It prohibits writing poems that praise romantic love, encourage relationships between men and women, or express “unrestrained desires and misplaced emotions.”
The law explicitly forbids criticism of the Taliban leader’s directives and decisions, mandating instead that poetry must promote Islamic beliefs, self-purification, and unity among Muslims. It also urges poets to avoid referencing ideological schools such as feminism, democracy, communism, and nationalism.
Under the new law, poets are barred from writing verses that invite “boys and girls to relationships or friendship.”
Enforcement of the law falls to the Taliban’s Ministry of Information and Culture, which is required to form a committee that includes representatives from the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice and the Council of Ulema. This body will review poetry events and has the authority to censor poems before publication.
The restrictions come as numerous Afghan poets and writers have fled the country over the past four years, citing increasing threats and censorship under Taliban rule.
Credit: https://amu.tv/
