According to reports, women are to be banned from Afghan television dramas under new Taliban media rules. All dramas, soap operas and entertainment shows featuring women are prohibited, according to the government guidelines issued to broadcasters recently.
It has been reported that the country's Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice issued eight rules concerning what is allowed to be broadcast, in the first restrictions of their kind imposed on the country's media network.
The ministry also stated that films in opposition to Islamic law and Afghan values should not be broadcast, nor should foreign and domestic films that "promote foreign culture and values."
The rules state that entertainment and comedy programmes "should not be based on insulting others, nor "for the insult of human dignity and Islamic values," adding that television programmes depicting the "prophets and companions" should not be broadcast. Another rule is that women news presenters must now wear headscarves on screen.
