Male Afghan TV presenters mask up to support female colleagues after Taliban decree

Male TV presenters in Afghanistan are wearing face masks on screen to show solidarity after the Taliban issued an order that all women on news channels must cover their faces.

In a protest dubbed #FreeHerFace on social media, men on Tolo News wore masks to mimic the effect of the face veil their female colleagues have been forced to wear after a Taliban crackdown.

Sebghat Sepehr presented the news wearing a mask shortly after the order was made public.

It follows a decree issued in early May that all women must cover their faces in public and male relatives face fines or jail if they do not adhere. Many women in cities such as Kabul, including TV presenters, defied the order.

He said he and his colleagues will continue to protest until the Taliban reconsider their decision.

In the first months of the latest Taliban rule in Afghanistan, an instruction made the hijab mandatory for female journalists, but not all women complied. However, by September fewer than 100 of the 700 female journalists in Afghanistan were still working.