In Afghanistan, the Taliban impose the wearing of the veil on the presenters of the television news

In the newspaper of an Afghan television channel, Sunday, May 22, the rules on the air have changed. Only the presenter’s eyes are now visible. The face must be covered with a veil. But this Taliban order is struggling to pass. “Today, we are forced to wear a mask, tomorrow, we will be forced to wear a burqa, but we will continue our fight until the end, we will not back down.“, testifies Sonia Niazi, presenter at Tolo News

The rule is the same for journalists who intervene outside the set. In the event of disobedience, they risk dismissal, as demanded by the Ministry of Promotion of virtue and prevention of vice. “Yesterday they came to us to warn us that this was the last warning, that the presenters had to put on the mask, that it was non-negotiable“, says the director of the chain, Khpalwak Sapai. As a sign of solidarity, the men who work alongside these women have chosen to hide their faces with masks.