Barbers in Afghanistan's Helmand Province are now prohibited from shaving men's beards and playing music in their shops, according to a statement issued by the province's of virtue and vice.
The new regulations mark the latest in a series of restrictions placed on the people of Afghanistan based on the Taliban's strict interpretation of Islamic Sharia law.
"You are urgently informed that from today, shaving beards and playing music in barbershops and public baths are strictly prohibited," the local authority said Sunday in a statement.
"If any barbershop or public bath is found to have shaved anyone's beard or played music, they will be dealt with according to the Sharia principles and they will not have the right to complain," the statement added.
While the Taliban have said their rule would be milder than it was during their previous time in government, there have been numerous reports of harsh crackdowns since they seized power of the nation in August, including the , the against women taking part in protests, and the of alleged criminals.
The group also has , despite promising that female students . Afghan boys have already been called to return to school.
When last in power between 1996 and 2001, the Taliban banned women and girls from education and work, and severely restricted their rights. Today, women have been completely and in some instances been ordered to
