Humiliation and Insults Against Faculty Members at Takhar University by the Taliban’s Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice.
Several faculty members at Takhar University reported that on Saturday, December 27, 2025, the Taliban’s Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice in Takhar sent a list of 37 university professors and staff to the university administration.
The document reportedly included derogatory titles and demanded their summons.
According to sources, on Monday, December 29, 2025, Mawlawi Sais, the university president, gathered the 37 faculty members in the university hall and forced them to travel collectively to the office of the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue.
One attending professor said they waited several hours in a mosque before being taken to the office, where they were reportedly subjected to insults, humiliation, and abusive language.
None of them were allowed to speak. The head of the ministry allegedly demanded that the professors grow full beards according to “Taliban orders” and obey directives, warning that non-compliance would result in dismissal.
At the end, all 37 individuals were made to sign pledges and left the office emotionally distressed.
Following this incident, on Thursday, January 1, 2026, a form was sent to the university requiring all professors to provide a written commitment to maintain their appearance in accordance with the “equal tradition.”
Faculty members say these actions have severely undermined the academic environment and motivation for teaching and research, with some considering leaving the profession.
According to them, the disregard for the dignity of the university and the humiliation of faculty reflects a mindset incompatible with scientific knowledge and higher education, putting Takhar University in a serious crisis.
