Authorities in northern Afghanistan have detained 14 people for participating in musical performances and singing at a private event—an activity prohibited under the Taliban’s rigid interpretation of Islamic law, provincial police confirmed on Saturday.
In a statement, police officials in Takhar province said the arrests occurred on Thursday night in the provincial capital, where the individuals had gathered in a residential home under the cover of darkness. According to the statement, the group’s activities—playing instruments and singing—were deemed disruptive to public order.
Since reclaiming power in 2021, the Taliban have reinstated sweeping restrictions on cultural expression, including a broad crackdown on music and public entertainment. These measures mirror the strict policies they enforced during their previous regime from 1996 to 2001, once again curbing artistic freedom and personal liberties across the country.
In Taliban-ruled Afghanistan, the suppression of music has become systemic and far-reaching. Music schools have been shuttered, instruments confiscated or destroyed, and public performances strictly prohibited. The ban now extends to all public domains—weddings, eateries, vehicles, and even media broadcasts—effectively erasing music from daily life.
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Taliban authorities justify the crackdown by branding music a source of “moral corruption,” and have encouraged former musicians to instead channel their artistic abilities into religious recitations and Islamic poetry.
Nevertheless, in defiance of these restrictions, musical expression survives in limited forms—often taking place quietly within women-only gatherings, where performances are shielded from public scrutiny.
The return of the Taliban in 2021 prompted a mass exodus of musicians, many of whom fled the country in search of safety and livelihoods abroad, as Afghanistan’s worsening economic crisis rendered their professions unsustainable.
Officials have confirmed that the 14 individuals arrested in Takhar province remain in custody and are currently under investigation.