In a controversial and restrictive move, the Taliban’s head of court in Balkh province has issued a decree banning the publication of images of living beings, including humans and animals, in the media; a decision that has sparked a wave of concern and anger among journalists, media organizations, and freedom of expression activists.

In a new decree issued by Taliban officials in Kandahar province, all female street vendors and shopkeepers are required to wear the burqa (chadari) while working in the market. This order, which has recently been implemented, has sparked widespread reactions among women traders.

In the latest repressive action by the Taliban, women’s voices in shops have been banned. The group’s Department for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice in Herat has warned women that when buying goods they must not speak loudly, but instead signal to the seller to convey their needs. This decision has sparked a wave of anger and despair among women and human rights activists in Afghanistan.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has announced that Taliban forces have prevented Afghan female UN staff from entering the organization’s offices in Kabul and the provinces.