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[INTERNATIONAL] · Afghanistan · 11 sources

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Kabul taxi drivers defy Taliban music ban

Taliban music ban Kabul taxi drivers morality police cultural protest Afghanistan entertainment restrictions

Taxi drivers in Kabul are defying a nationwide ban on music imposed by the Taliban government by playing Afghan folk and pop music within their vehicles. Since the Taliban took power in 2021, music has been largely removed from public spaces, including restaurants, cafes, and shops, where it has been replaced by religious or patriotic content.

The ban is enforced by the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice (PVPV), whose morality police patrol the streets to ensure compliance with religious and patriotic norms. Drivers report having to lower the volume or turn off their radios entirely when approaching security checkpoints to avoid trouble. Some drivers have faced the confiscation or destruction of USB drives and memory cards containing music files.

For many drivers, playing music in the privacy of their cabs is viewed as a form of cultural protest and a way to reclaim personal freedom in a country where other forms of entertainment, such as cinema, are also prohibited or heavily restricted.

Entities

Afghanistan · Kabul · Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice · Ministry of Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice · Roeen · Taliban

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

Sources

Afghan drivers resist Taliban music ban [azeritimes.com]
Taxistas desafiam proibição de músicas em veículos no Afeganistão [www.brasilemfolhas.com.br]
À Kaboul, des chauffeurs de taxi rallument la musique en cachette [lesinguliersete.fr]
Pemandu teksi Afghanistan ‘curi-curi’ dengar muzik dalam kereta [www.utusan.com.my]
Afghan drivers resist Taliban music ban [news.az]
Musikalischer Widerstand: Video zeigt, wie Taxifahrer in Afghanistan das Taliban-Regime austricksen [www.hna.de]
Rebellious Afghan taxi drivers defy ban on music [thefrontierpost.com]
En Afghanistan, des taxis bravent l'interdiction d'écouter de la musique [information.tv5monde.com]
En Afghanistan, ces chauffeurs de taxi défient les talibans en écoutant de la musique [www.parismatch.com]
A Low-Volume Rebellion: How Kabul's Taxi Drivers Defy The Taliban One Song At A Time [www.news18.com]
Rebellious Afghan taxi drivers defy ban on music [www.newindianexpress.com]