The Kabul Tribune (KT) — Eleven professors at Herat University’s Faculty of Medicine have resigned, citing what sources described as insulting treatment by Taliban officials enforcing the group’s rules on appearance and conduct, sources told The Kabul Tribune.
The professors submitted a formal resignation letter
Thursday, according to the sources. They specifically cited what they described
as disrespectful treatment by officials of the Taliban’s Ministry for the
Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice.
The resignations also followed the detention of professors
over the length of their beards, according to the sources.
The Taliban’s morality officials have increasingly enforced
rules governing the appearance and behavior of Afghan citizens, including
requirements related to beards, clothing and other aspects of personal conduct.
The sources said the officials had previously detained several
U.N. employees in Herat over allegations that their beards were too short.
In another case, several students at Sheikh Zayed University
in Khost were expelled from university dormitories for not having beards,
according to the sources.
The resignations at Herat University come as the Taliban
continues to enforce restrictions on personal appearance and conduct across
Afghanistan. The rules have particularly affected women, who face sweeping
restrictions on education, employment, clothing and their movement in public.
The Taliban has defended its morality regulations as
necessary to enforce Islamic values, while the United Nations and human rights
organizations have repeatedly criticized the measures and called on the
authorities to respect fundamental rights.
The Kabul Tribune could not independently verify the
professors’ resignation letter or immediately determine whether the university
had accepted the resignations.
