ISLAMABAD -- ISLAMABAD (AP) — Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers have issued a ban on women’s voices and bare faces in public under new laws approved by the supreme leader in efforts to combat vice and promote virtue.

These regulations were put into effect on Wednesday after being approved by supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, a government spokesperson stated. The Taliban established a ministry dedicated to “promoting virtue and preventing vice” after taking control in 2021.

The ministry released its laws outlining appropriate and inappropriate conduct on Wednesday. These laws cover aspects of daily life such as public transportation, music, personal grooming, and celebrations.

These laws are outlined in a 114-page document containing 35 articles, which was reviewed by The Associated Press. This document represents the first official declaration of vice and virtue laws in Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover.

Officials from the Vice and Virtue Ministry were not immediately available to comment on these laws.

These laws grant the ministry the authority to take the lead in enforcing personal conduct standards. They have the power to impose punishments, such as warnings or arrest, if they believe Afghan citizens have violated these laws.

Article 13 specifically targets women. It mandates that women must cover their bodies entirely in public, including the face, as it claims such a covering is essential to avoid temptation and prevent others from being tempted. Clothing is to be modest, avoiding thin, tight, or short garments.

Muslim women are obligated to conceal themselves from non-Muslim men and women to prevent corruption. A woman’s voice is deemed private and should not be used for singing, reciting poetry, or reading aloud in public. Women are forbidden from looking at men they are not related to, and vice versa.

Article 17 prohibits the publication of images of living beings, posing a serious threat to the already precarious state of Afghan media .

Article 19 bans the playing of music, restricts solo female travel , and forbids the mixing of men and women who are not related. The law also requires passengers and drivers to observe prayer times.

Last month, a U.N. report highlighted the ministry's role in fostering a climate of fear and intimidation among Afghans. The report cited the ministry's decrees and the methods used to enforce them as evidence of this trend.

The ministry stated that its influence was extending into other aspects of society, including tracking media and tackling drug dependence.

“Considering the various problems highlighted in the report, the de facto authorities' declaration of heightened oversight raises substantial concern for all Afghans, particularly women and girls,” expressed Fiona Frazer, the human rights director at the U.N. mission in Afghanistan.