A group of Afghan men who like to dress up as Peaky Blinders characters have been arrested by the Taliban for violating ‘Islamic values’.
Known as the ‘Jebrael Shelbys’, the group often posts videos of themselves dressed as the fictional Birmingham crime family in western Afghanistan.
But this ‘promotion’ of foreign culture has landed the four in a prison cell, with the morality police saying the men had begun a ‘correction programme’.
Taliban spokesman Said Khyber said: ‘We, praise be to God, are Muslims and Afghans; we have our own religion, culture and values.
‘We have saved this country from the spread of corrupt cultures through great sacrifices, and now we will defend it as well.’
One of the men, Asghar Hussaini, spoke on YouTube about how the foursome had tried to showcase different types of clothing in Afghanistan.
Ashour Akbari, another member, said: ‘Until today, no one has published this content of classic dressing style in Afghanistan.
‘We have had the same monotonous dressing style for the past many decades and wanted to show variety.’
The flat caps and three-piece suits worn by the Shelby clan aren’t aligned with ‘Islamic values’, the taliban said.
The men have since been forced to apologise on national television for the ‘Western’ fashion they promoted.
Since taking power again in 2021, the Taliban has continued to curb human rights, particularly for women.
In September, the Taliban shut down the internet in a bid to ‘prevent immorality’.
In late December, the Supreme Leader issued a decree to ‘ensure women’s privacy’ in Afghanistan. It stated that women must not be visible from neighbouring homes while cooking, sitting or standing.
Under the five-point decree, any two buildings within a pathway’s distance from each other cannot have windows facing the neighbour’s kitchen, water well or any other area where women are ‘commonly present’.
Anybody who has windows which overlook their neighbour’s property in this way must build a wall or take other steps to minimise the ‘harm’ done to their neighbour, the decree states.
A state-sponsored ‘morality police’ has sweeping powers to enforce these regulations and ensure that no new buildings violate the new rules, echoing similar authorities in nearby Iran.
What risks do people face if they embrace Western culture in Afghanistan?
If the actions of Afghans are seen as ‘immoral’ by the Taliban, they can face a variety of punishments.
These range from social ostracisation, violent attacks from ‘morality’ police, prison and execution.
According to the European Union Agency for Asylum, those perceived as ‘Westernised’, or influenced by foreign values, are seen as ‘puppets’ of Western powers, whom the Taliban believe to be behind the fall of Afghanistan.
After retaking power in 2021, the Taliban said it aimed to ‘purify’ Afghan society and kick out all foreign influence.
Those who are seen as having any links to Western countries, including those learning English, have also faced severe punishment.
In 2021, two students were beaten for attempting to attend English classes because the Taliban said the language was considered that of ‘infidels’.
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