Taliban Leader Bans Writing of Love Poems

Photo: Wikipedia

Hibatullah Akhundzada, the Taliban’s supreme leader, has banned the writing of love poems and the description of girls and boys in poetry, warning that violators will be punished.

On Saturday (August 30) the Taliban’s Ministry of Justice published the “Law on Regulating Poetry Recitals,” signed by the group’s leader, consisting of two chapters and 13 articles.

According to the law, poets are not allowed to mention friendship between girls and boys in their poetry and are obliged to write only within the framework the Taliban call “Islamic morals and Sharia policy.”

The law requires poets to base their poems on “self-purification, strengthening Islamic belief, unity of the Ummah, and Islamic aspirations” and to be free from “improper emotions” and “illegitimate desires.”

The Taliban have also stipulated that any poetry recital must be held under the supervision of the group’s Ministry of Information and Culture, and publication will only be allowed after official registration and review.

This new restriction comes as the Taliban had previously banned love poems. Since their return to power, many Afghan poets and cultural figures have been forced to leave the country due to pressure and restrictions.