Latest news with #PropagationofVirtueandPreventionofVicelaw
RTÉ News
12-05-2025
- Politics
- RTÉ News
Taliban bans chess in Afghanistan over gambling concerns
Taliban authorities have barred chess across Afghanistan until further notice over concerns it is a source of gambling, which is illegal under the government's morality law, a sports official has said. The Taliban government has steadily imposed laws and regulations that reflect its austere vision of Islamic law since seizing power in 2021. "Chess in sharia (Islamic law) is considered a means of gambling," which is prohibited according to the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice law announced last year, sports directorate spokesperson Atal Mashwani told AFP. "There are religious considerations regarding the sport of chess," he said. "Until these considerations are addressed, the sport of chess is suspended in Afghanistan," he added. Mr Mashwani said the national chess federation had not held any official events for around two years and "had some issues on the leadership level". Azizullah Gulzada owns a cafe in Kabul that has hosted informal chess competitions in recent years, but denied any gambling took place and noted chess was played in other Muslim-majority countries. "Many other Islamic countries have players on an international level," he told AFP. He said he would respect the suspension but that it would hurt his business and those who enjoyed the game. "Young people don't have a lot of activities these days, so many came here every day," he told AFP. "They would have a cup of tea and challenge their friends to a game of chess." Afghanistan's authorities have restricted other sports in recent years and women have been essentially barred from participating in sport altogether in the country. Last year, the authorities banned free fighting such as mixed martial arts in professional competition, saying it was too "violent" and "problematic with respect to sharia".
The Hindu
11-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Taliban regime suspends chess over concern over gambling
Taliban authorities have barred chess across Afghanistan until further notice over concerns it is a source of gambling, which is illegal under the Government's morality law, a sports official said on Sunday (May 11, 2025). The Taliban government has steadily imposed laws and regulations that reflect its austere vision of Islamic law since seizing power in 2021. 'Chess in sharia (Islamic law) is considered a means of gambling,' which is prohibited according to the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice law announced last year, sports directorate spokesperson Atal Mashwani told AFP. 'There are religious considerations regarding the sport of chess,' he said. 'Until these considerations are addressed, the sport of chess is suspended in Afghanistan,' he added. Mashwani said the national chess federation had not held any official events for around two years and "had some issues on the leadership level". Azizullah Gulzada owns a cafe in Kabul that has hosted informal chess competitions in recent years, but denied any gambling took place and noted chess was played in other Muslim-majority countries. 'Many other Islamic countries have players on an international level,' he told AFP. He said he would respect the suspension but that it would hurt his business and those who enjoyed the game. 'Young people don't have a lot of activities these days, so many came here everyday,' he told AFP. 'They would have a cup of tea and challenge their friends to a game of chess.' Afghanistan's authorities have restricted other sports in recent years and women have been essentially barred from participating in sport altogether in the country. Last year, the authorities banned free fighting such as mixed martial arts (MMA) in professional competition, saying it was too 'violent' and 'problematic with respect to sharia'.
Straits Times
11-05-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Taliban bans chess in Afghanistan over gambling concerns
KABUL - Taliban authorities have barred chess across Afghanistan until further notice over concerns it is a source of gambling, which is illegal under the government's morality law, a sports official said on May 11. The Taliban government has steadily imposed laws and regulations that reflect its austere vision of Islamic law since seizing power in 2021. 'Chess in sharia (Islamic law) is considered a means of gambling,' which is prohibited according to the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice law announced last year, sports directorate spokesperson Atal Mashwani told AFP. 'There are religious considerations regarding the sport of chess,' he said. 'Until these considerations are addressed, the sport of chess is suspended in Afghanistan,' he added. Mr Mashwani said the national chess federation had not held any official events for around two years and 'had some issues on the leadership level'. Mr Azizullah Gulzada owns a cafe in Kabul that has hosted informal chess competitions in recent years, but denied any gambling took place and noted chess was played in other Muslim-majority countries. 'Many other Islamic countries have players on an international level,' he told AFP. He said he would respect the suspension but that it would hurt his business and those who enjoyed the game. 'Young people don't have a lot of activities these days, so many came here everyday,' he told AFP. 'They would have a cup of tea and challenge their friends to a game of chess.' Afghanistan's authorities have restricted other sports in recent years and women have been essentially barred from participating in sport altogether in the country. In 2024, the authorities banned free fighting such as mixed martial arts (MMA) in professional competition, saying it was too 'violent' and 'problematic with respect to sharia'. AFP Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
France 24
11-05-2025
- Politics
- France 24
Taliban suspends chess in Afghanistan, cites religious concerns over gambling
Taliban authorities have barred chess across Afghanistan until further notice over concerns it is a source of gambling, which is illegal under the government's morality law, a sports official said on Sunday. The Taliban government has steadily imposed laws and regulations that reflect its austere vision of Islamic law since seizing power in 2021. "Chess in sharia (Islamic law) is considered a means of gambling", which is prohibited according to the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice law announced last year, sports directorate spokesperson Atal Mashwani told AFP. "There are religious considerations regarding the sport of chess," he said. "Until these considerations are addressed, the sport of chess is suspended in Afghanistan," he added. Mashwani said the national chess federation had not held any official events for around two years and "had some issues on the leadership level". Azizullah Gulzada owns a cafe in Kabul that has hosted informal chess competitions in recent years, but denied any gambling took place and noted chess was played in other Muslim-majority countries. "Many other Islamic countries have players on an international level," he told AFP. He said he would respect the suspension but that it would hurt his business and those who enjoyed the game. "Young people don't have a lot of activities these days, so many came here everyday," he told AFP. "They would have a cup of tea and challenge their friends to a game of chess." Afghanistan's authorities have restricted other sports in recent years and women have been essentially barred from participating in sport altogether in the country. Last year, the authorities banned free fighting such as mixed martial arts (MMA) in professional competition, saying it was too "violent" and "problematic with respect to sharia".
NDTV
11-05-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
Taliban Suspends Chess Across Afghanistan Over Gambling Concerns
Kabul: Taliban authorities have barred chess across Afghanistan until further notice over concerns it is a source of gambling, which is illegal under the government's morality law, a sports official said on Sunday. The Taliban government has steadily imposed laws and regulations that reflect its austere vision of Islamic law since seizing power in 2021. "Chess in sharia (Islamic law) is considered a means of gambling," which is prohibited according to the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice law announced last year, sports directorate spokesperson Atal Mashwani told AFP. "There are religious considerations regarding the sport of chess," he said. "Until these considerations are addressed, the sport of chess is suspended in Afghanistan," he added. Mashwani said the national chess federation had not held any official events for around two years and "had some issues on the leadership level". Azizullah Gulzada owns a cafe in Kabul that has hosted informal chess competitions in recent years, but denied any gambling took place and noted chess was played in other Muslim-majority countries. "Many other Islamic countries have players on an international level," he told AFP. He said he would respect the suspension but that it would hurt his business and those who enjoyed the game. "Young people don't have a lot of activities these days, so many came here everyday," he told AFP. "They would have a cup of tea and challenge their friends to a game of chess." Afghanistan's authorities have restricted other sports in recent years and women have been essentially barred from participating in sport altogether in the country. Last year, the authorities banned free fighting such as mixed martial arts (MMA) in professional competition, saying it was too "violent" and "problematic with respect to sharia".
