Taliban detain eight barbers in Parwan over beard grooming

[duluxe]

Taliban morality enforcers have detained eight barbers in Afghanistan’s Parwan province over the past week for shaving or styling beards, local sources said on Thursday.

Five local sources said officials from the Taliban’s Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice arrested the men for shaving, trimming or carving beard lines, practices the Taliban consider contrary to their interpretation of Islamic law.

The sources said the barbers’ shops were also sealed and that the men were told they would be held for up to one month.

According to the sources, Taliban officials had earlier warned barbers in the province not to shave, trim or style customers’ beards.

The Taliban have not commented publicly on the reported detentions.

One barber, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the restrictions have put livelihoods at risk. “Customers ask for what they want,” he said. “If we refuse, they stop coming, and we are forced to close our shops.”

The Taliban classify shaving beards, carving beard lines and certain hairstyles as imitation of foreigners and say such practices violate Islamic principles. These activities are banned under their morality regulations.