On Taliban diktat to cover faces, Afghan women anchors go virtual on news channels

Kabul [Afghanistan], May 22 : Afghanistan's leading news channels on Sunday carried out the Taliban's recent decree to cover the faces of female presenters on television however, the female speakers appeared on TV in the form of virtual images rather than real ones.
This comes as in another new decree on Thursday, Taliban directed all-female presenters working on all TV channels to cover their faces while presenting programs.
"Female speakers appear on television in the form of virtual images rather than real ones. Therefore, TOLO news views on this decision are still valid," TOLO News tweeted.
However, TOLO news said that the decree issued by the leadership of the Islamic Emirate on the issue of hijab does not contain any explicit recommendation to cover the faces of female speakers.
Earlier, women presenters on Afghanistan's leading TV channels went on air on Saturday without covering their faces, defying a Taliban order that they conceal their appearance.
Many TV outlets have expressed their concerns over the new decree issued by the Taliban. Shamshad TV head of news Abid Ehsas said, "Our female colleagues are concerned that if they cover their faces, the next thing they will be told is to stop working."
"This is the reason they have not observed the order so far," he added, reported Dawn citing US-based agency.
A woman presenter said, "Their latest order has broken the hearts of women presenters and many now think they have no future in this country," "I'm thinking of leaving the country. Decrees like this will force many professionals to leave," she added.
Continuing the repressive moves, the Taliban's Ministry of Vice and Virtue and Information and Culture called this new decree final verdict and said that the order has been issued to all media outlets in Afghanistan.
The atrocities of the Taliban against Afghan women have been on an incessant surge since the organization seized power in Afghanistan in August last year, banning young girls and women of humanitarian rights.
Taliban, in its official order earlier, directed female staff members of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) to wear the hijab at offices and has also curtailed Afghan women from wearing make-up and reproductive rights, ban on education for girls from classes 6 and above being an add on.
Dozens of Afghan women are protesting against the Taliban leader's new order on women wearing the hijab.
Unrecognized by most of the international community, the Taliban-led government has committed to disrespecting the human rights and rights of women.
The UN mission in Afghanistan has expressed concern about the announcement, saying that this decision contradicts numerous assurances regarding respect for and protection of all Afghans' human rights, including those of women and girls.
The Taliban had warned that if the women disobeyed the order, their parents would be punished and imprisoned.