Taliban arrests and extorts female hairdressers in Kabul.
Continuing the pressure on working women, local sources from Kabul say that the Taliban have arrested dozens of female hairdressers in recent days by raiding women’s hairdressers in the Dasht-e-Barchi and Shahr-e-Naw areas.
According to the sources, these hairdressers were operating secretly and with restrictions. However, Taliban forces not only arrested the hairdressers, but also confiscated their work equipment.
Although these women were released after a few hours, it is said that in some cases, they were forced to pay heavy sums of money to be released or continue their activities.
According to statements by a number of these women, some Taliban security areas have extorted between 10,000 and 100,000 Afghanis from them in exchange for issuing “unofficial permission” to continue their activities.
Also, officials from the Ministry of Good Conduct and Prevention of Evil have asked these women for money.
The Taliban have not yet officially taken a position on this issue. However, two years ago, the group, on the orders of its leader, Haibatullah Akhundzada, banned the operation of women’s hairdressing salons throughout the country.
In the absence of job opportunities for women, many of these hairdressers are the sole breadwinners for their families.
These Taliban actions have not only increased the livelihood pressure on women, but are also a clear sign of the organized restriction of women’s presence in society.
