London-based Afghanistan International broadcast.28 Most private TV and radio stations, largely funded by and affiliated with different political parties have also been banned by the Taliban. The termination of Tamadon TV, Barya and Noor private TV stations was part of a broader ban imposed by the Taliban, citing “their political affiliations and breach of Islamic and journalistic principles” as the reason.29 Before the Taliban seized power, numerous private media outlets, both print and broadcasting networks were established and funded by various Afghanistan’s political parties. Furthermore, many media workers were subjected to threats and harassment, primarily by the Taliban’s Intelligence Directorate. Selfcensorship is used as a surviving means as a result. All these imposed restrictions are an indication of a systematic trend and pattern being carried out. 3.2. Freedom of Religion and Beliefs The space for religious freedom, which was already contracted by discrimination and violence under the fallen Republic, has now been effectively curtailed by the Taliban, who rules based on their radical interpretation of Hanafi Sunni Islamic jurisprudence. The country’s religious minority groups, such as Shia Muslims, Hindu and Sikhs, as well as a handful of oppressed Jewish and Christian families are suffering the most from multiple restrictions. On 22 August, 2024, the Taliban introduced a new set of restrictions, known as Morality Law, comprising 35-Articles, which among other things, greatly restricts religious freedoms. For example, Article 6 of this newly imposed Morality Law reiterates the Islamic 28 Committee to Protect Journalists, “Taliban Orders Shutdown of Broadcaster Tamadon TV.” 7 June 2024, https://shorturl.at/A5ISV Kabul Now, Besmellah Zahidi., ‘Taliban Shut 29 Down a Shia TV Channel, Media Watchdog Says it is Politically Motivated’, 7 June, 2024, https://shorturl.at/Y2xLc 14 Hanafi Jurisprudence as the only source, whereby the regime’s Ministry of Vice and Virtue (MVV) “is obliged to rejoin good and forbid wrong.” 30 It indicates that followers of other faiths, including Shia Muslims, do not have rights to act based on their own religious beliefs. Previously, the Taliban banned the annual commemoration of the month of mourning, Muharram, a religious ritual, primarily practiced by the Shia branch of Islam. Those who have resisted the ban, have been arrested and beaten, and killed by the Taliban’s Intelligence Agency.31 All the victims belonged to the ethnic Hazaras. Like the Hazaras, other religious minorities, such as Hindu and Sikhs, as well as Christians, who are few in number, have, too, experienced arrest and violence.32 While reinforcing previous restrictions imposed by the Taliban, the newly imposed 35-Article Morality Law also imposes a new set of restrictive provisions on women and girls, such as prohibiting women speaking outside the home and in public. The new provisions provide the so-called moral police wide and unquestionable authority to punish people for any acts of non-compliance, including confiscating their properties.33 On 20 September, 2024, they also issued an eight-point statement, warning religious figures to avoid engaging in religiously controversial topics and discourses in public. The statement, however, failed to spell out what these 30 Voice of America, Ayaz Gul., ‘Taliban Enact Law that Silences Afghan Women in Public, and Curbs Their Freedom’, 22 August, 2024, https://shorturl.at/ DNj29 Etlaat-e-Roz Newspaper, ‘Taliban’s Restric31 tions on Ashura, Protesters Got Killed’, 13 July, 2024, https://shorturl.at/QXcTm US Commission on International Religious 32 Freedoms, ‘Annual Report Afghanistan: Recommendations to Countries of Particular Concern’, 2024, https:// shorturl.at/07Rwc The Economic Times, ‘Taliban Imposes New 33 Restrictions on Women, Bans Public Speaking’, 24 August, 2024, https://shorturl.at/U23zV