Afghanistan's Taliban Government Forces Female TV Anchors To Cover Their Faces

Afghan female news anchors read the news on TOLO NEWS in Kabul, Afghanistan,
while wearing face coverings. ( Source: TOLO NEWS )

Afghanistan's ruling Taliban authorities began enforcing an order on Sunday requiring female TV news anchors to cover their faces when appearing on television. 

The order was issued by the Taliban government on Tuesday, but few news outlets followed iit. Since Sunday, when the Taliban Vice and Virtue Ministries issued stricter orders, the majority of female anchors have covered their faces. The Information and Culture Ministry had announced that the policy was final and irrevocable.

ALSO READ: Taliban Government Expresses Concern Over Russia-Ukraine Conflict

"It's just an outside culture imposed on us, forcing us to wear a mask, and that can cause problems for us while presenting our programmes," said Sonia Niazi, a TOLOnews TV anchor in Afghanistan.

Female presenters could instead wear medical masks, according to the Taliban. Regardless, Afghan female Tv anchors have expressed the feeling of being trapped under this new ordinance. In solidarity with their female colleagues, the channel's male personnel, including the main evening newsreader, wore masks.