Taliban’s intensive oversight and crackdown on women’s beauty salons in Kabul

KABUL: A number of beauty salons in Kabul have reported that the Taliban have assigned “female spies” to monitor their activities. These individuals are allegedly collecting information on their earnings, work methods, and professional relationships, as well as scrutinizing the attire of women beauticians. In recent days, Taliban promoting of virtue and prevention of vice enforcement agents have identified, inspected, and shut down dozens of women’s home salons. They have confiscated work equipment and obtained commitments from families to prevent continued operations. Agents have even checked the mobile phones of some beauticians and conducted house-to-house interrogations. Some women have been released after brief detentions, but the pressures and restrictions persist. Human rights activists consider these actions to be violations of women’s rights and a limitation on their opportunities for work and life. Previous reports have also highlighted instances of extortion, threats, and unmoral proposals from Taliban members