The Taliban have burned musical instruments in Afghanistan, claiming music “causes moral corruption”.
Thousands of dollars worth of musical equipment went up in smoke on a bonfire on Saturday in western Herat province.
Since taking power in 2021, the Taliban have imposed numerous restrictions, including on playing music in public.
Ahmad Sarmast, Afghanistan National Institute of Music founder, likened their actions to “cultural genocide and musical vandalism”.
A music scene flourished in the two decades that followed, but the Taliban’s return in August 2021 prompted many musicians to flee the country. Singers and musicians still in the country are reported to have been subjected to beatings and discrimination.
In the past two years, the Taliban have imposed other severe restrictions under their strict interpretation of Islamic law.
Women have borne the brunt of these harsh measures. The Taliban have decreed they should be dressed in a way that only reveals their eyes, and must be accompanied by a male relative if they are travelling more than 72km (48 miles).
Teenage girls and women have also been barred from entering school and university classrooms, gyms and parks.
Last week all hair and beauty salons across the country were ordered to shut on the Taliban’s orders, after being deemed un-Islamic.
