Human Rights | Taliban are adding their vice and virtue law to curricula at all Afghan universities, 8am reports; the report has not been confirmed by other sources

ACW | November 13, 2026 — The Taliban are adding their "Law on the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice" to the curricula of all public and private universities in Afghanistan, the Afghan newspaper 8am reported on Friday, citing two informed sources.

The order came from Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, the sources said. They said Nida Mohammad Nadim, the Taliban's higher education minister, told universities to teach the law as a chapter of their courses.

The decision was taken six months ago, but work to apply it has only now begun in Kandahar and other provinces, according to the sources. They said the Taliban's higher education and vice and virtue ministries have started seminars to introduce students to the law.

The Taliban's Ministry of Higher Education has not commented. The report has not been confirmed by other sources.

Background: On November 12, 2024, the Taliban's higher education ministry said on its website that a deputy minister for vice and virtue had presented the law to university heads and ministry staff and asked teachers to explain it to the public. 8am says the Taliban have already reshaped Afghanistan's curriculum and removed many subjects. ACW earlier reported that a pro-Taliban cleric disputed the ban on Afghan women's medical studies.

Why it matters: If confirmed, a law that the Taliban's own higher education ministry wants teachers to explain to the public would become part of every Afghan university student's coursework.

ACW will continue to follow this story.

Sources: 8am — Taliban add virtue law to university curricula (in Dari); Taliban Ministry of Higher Education — vice and virtue law presented to staff (background, 2024)

Photo: 8am