Taliban have ordered exhibitors at a book fair in western Herat province to hide book covers that show images of people.
Photo evidence of stalls at the book fair shows books in rows with blank sheets of paper resting on top of the book covers.
A source, who requested not to be named, said the Taliban ordered them to be covered.
The book fair is being hosted this week by private publishing house Momeni Publications in front of the Talban’s Department of Information and Culture in Herat province.
Momeni Publications cultural officer Saeed Momeni told local reporters that the purpose of the exhibition is to promote the culture of reading among the people.
The book fair is being attended by Herati residents. Some have said the mood at the fair this year is different under the Taliban rule.
Writer Aryan Aron posted on X, “Every year when a book fair was held in Herat, excitement and enthusiasm appeared in our veins and in this city. This year, however, in the street book exhibition, the ruling group covered the pictures on the books to show that their stupidity has no limits. Primitiveness and ridiculous behaviors that are impossible to even give a greeting to civilization.”
Herati resident Marjan who visited the street book fair said that she was surprised to see the pictures of people hidden on the covers of books.
“By God, I don’t understand why the Taliban decided to order the covers of the books to be hidden. Are these photos provocative that they did this? These type of orders from the Taliban shows how extreme they are,” she told Rukhshana Media.
Before the Taliban came to power in 2021, Herat used to hold a large book fair every year in autumn. Some Iranian publishers would also cross the border to participate. This year, it is only the sole publisher Momeni present.
The Taliban has imposed restrictions on the sale of some authors’ works. Those books have been collected from bookstores and sold secretly.
Some Taliban members are opposed to depictions and photography of the human form. The Taliban have also reportedly ordered Herat painters not to paint human faces. Those who do not follow the order have had their works confiscated.
The Herat book fair exhibitors declined to be interviewed on questions about the book covers and why they were covered.
