Law of Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vices

Responsibilities of the Overseer Regarding (Dhimmis), (Musta’mins), Children, and the Insane

Article Twenty-Three:
1. The overseer is responsible for preventing Kids and Mads/insane people who are mentally less progressed, from publicly committing immoral acts.
2. If an immoral act is committed by a child or an insane person, the overseer is responsible for preventing the act.

This article illustrates the Taliban’s expansive reach of moral enforcement, assigning state authorities the duty to monitor and suppress behavior deemed “immoral” even when committed by children or individuals with mental health conditions. Rather than offering protective or rehabilitative frameworks, the law frames these populations as subjects of control rather than care. It reinforces a punitive rather than rights-based approach to vulnerability, lacking clarity on definitions or procedural safeguards. Such mandates risk systemic abuse, particularly for those with limited ability to understand, consent, or defend themselves under Taliban rule.