Afghan women took part in an online protest by posting pictures of them in colorful traditional costumes on social media in response to pressure to wear the niqab and burqa after the re-takeover of the Taliban.
If you search for the hashtag 'Don't touch my clothes' (#DoNotTouchMyClothes) on social media such as Twitter, you will find pictures of women in colorful traditional Afghan costumes.
Not only Afghan women but also men uploaded photos of women and children in traditional attire and raised their voices, saying, "This is not our burqa or niqab, this is our costume."
Women in Afghanistan as well as Afghans from all over the world are participating.
On the 15th of last month, the Taliban issued a convincing message saying, "We will respect women's human rights" after re-electing for the first time in 20 years.
However, the education authorities have ordered women attending private universities to wear 'abaya', a black robe that covers from neck to toe, and a niqab that covers the whole body with only the eyes exposed.
Afterwards, the education authorities said, "University students can wear the hijab," but did not specifically explain whether it meant the hijab that only covers the hair or whether it refers to Islamic clothing in a broader sense.
A Taliban officer shot and killed a woman who went out without a burqa, and the woman's face was painted black on a billboard in downtown Kabul.
Afghan women who took part in the online protests said, "Whether to wear a hijab or a burqa, women have the right to choose themselves."The Taliban should not touch our clothes."
(Photo=Twitter @Dumar_93, Yonhap News)