On Sunday, the Taliban issued a set of new “religious guidelines” that asked the country’s television channels to stop telecasting dramas and soap operas that feature women actors. This directive was issued to Afghan media by the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice.

The Taliban also called on women television journalists to wear Islamic hijabs while presenting their reports. The ministry further asked channels to not telecast films or programmes in which the Prophet Mohammed or other revered figures are shown.

The Taliban called for banning films or programmes that were against Islamic and Afghan values.

“These are not rules but a religious guideline’,” ministry spokesman Hakif Mohajir told AFP.

The new rule was widely circulated on social media platforms.

When it came to power, the Taliban promised that they will be moderate this time around, however, it has already established rules for what women can wear at university. They have also beaten and harassed several Afghan journalists despite promising press freedoms.

The new directive comes after two decades of massive growth for independent Afghan media under the Western-backed governments that ran the country until August 15.

Soon after the Taliban fell in 2001, several television channels and radio stations were set up with the help of the West and private investment.

For those 20 years, Afghan television offered shows such as “American Idol” along with several Turkish and Indian soap operas.

When the Taliban ruled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001, they were no media. Television and entertainment outlets were banned saying that it was immoral.

People who were caught watching television face harsh punishment. Some of them even had their heads smashed, while the owner of the video or the video player would be lashed in public.

During the Taliban’s rule, there was only one radio station – Voice of Sharia. It used to broadcast propaganda and Islamic programming.