Checkmate in Kabul: Taliban bans chess. Here’s the full list of what’s forbidden in Afghanistan

Officials claimed chess was under scrutiny for its alleged links to gambling and for being potentially incompatible with Islamic principles.

The Taliban have banned chess in Afghanistan, citing religious concerns and internal leadership issues within the national chess federation, adding the ancient game to a long list of activities now outlawed across the country.

According to a report by TOLO News, the ban was announced by the Taliban’s Sports Directorate, which said the game had been suspended indefinitely “due to leadership issues within the national chess federation and religious concerns surrounding the game.” Officials claimed chess was under scrutiny for its alleged links to gambling and for being potentially incompatible with Islamic principles.

The latest restriction is part of a broader clampdown spearheaded by the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, which has systematically targeted cultural, recreational, and sporting practices since the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021. The BBC, citing Taliban officials, reported that the suspension will remain in place until a final religious ruling is issued.

What else is banned in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan?

Since reclaiming power, the Taliban have rolled back civil liberties at an unprecedented pace, enforcing a rigid interpretation of Sharia law. The bans have affected nearly every aspect of daily life, with particularly devastating consequences for women and girls.

Music and musical instruments: All public performances of music are banned. In July 2023, musical instruments were burned in Herat province by Taliban enforcers, who labelled music as immoral and corrupting.

Kite flying and pigeon keeping: Previously popular pastimes under earlier regimes, these too have been outlawed for allegedly distracting young men from religious obligations.

Television and media: Content deemed “un-Islamic” is censored or outright banned. Female actors have vanished from screens, and shows featuring music or satire have been taken down.

Images of living beings: Depictions of humans and animals are forbidden in advertising, shop displays, and media. Photography for entertainment purposes is heavily restricted.

Education: Girls are barred from secondary school and university. As of 2025, even vocational training programs are being phased out in many provinces.

Employment: Most Afghan women are forbidden from working outside the home. Women employed by NGOs, including in humanitarian roles, have been dismissed.

Travel and public presence: Women must be accompanied by a male guardian (mahram) when travelling long distances and are banned from entering parks, gyms, or amusement centres.

Dress codes: The burqa is mandatory in many regions. Any deviation from strict clothing codes can result in punishment for both the woman and her male guardian.

Beauty salons: In 2023, all women's beauty salons were ordered to shut down, eliminating one of the last remaining public spaces for women.

Healthcare access: Women face restrictions on visiting male doctors, and female healthcare workers are increasingly barred from practicing, leading to a collapse in women’s medical care in remote areas.

Media restrictions: Female journalists must cover their faces on air. Many have left the profession due to harassment, bans, or fear of persecution.

Why these bans?

The Taliban justify their sweeping prohibitions as efforts to enforce their interpretation of Islamic morality. Activities deemed to promote “moral corruption,” distract from religious duties, or challenge traditional gender roles are rapidly purged.

The Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice plays a central role in monitoring public behaviour. It has revived many of the same controls used during the Taliban’s first rule in the 1990s, often justified under vague religious pretexts and without a formal judicial process.

International rights groups, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have described the situation in Afghanistan as a form of “gender apartheid” and a “cultural suffocation,” with the UN repeatedly warning that the Taliban’s policies violate basic human rights and international law.