The UN report said Taliban morality police detained men and their barbers for inappropriate hairstyles, and others for missing prayers at mosques during Ramadan.
This happened six months after the introduction of laws regulating the behavior of citizens in the country.
Last August, the Ministry of Vice and Virtue unveiled laws covering various aspects of daily life in Afghanistan, including public transport, music, shaving and holidays.
In particular, the ministry introduced restrictions on women's performances and on their appearance with uncovered faces in public places.
That same month, a senior UN official warned that the laws paint a “dismal picture” of the country's future, reinforcing existing restrictions on employment, education and clothing for women and girls.
Taliban officials have dismissed UN concerns about morality laws.
A report by the UN mission in Afghanistan said that in the first six months of the laws' implementation, more than half of the arrests involved “either men with improperly trimmed beards or haircuts, or barbers providing haircuts that did not meet requirements.”
The report also found that the morality police systematically detained people “without due process or legal protection.”
During the holy month of Ramadan, men's attendance at obligatory congregational prayers was closely monitored, sometimes leading to arbitrary detentions of those who failed to attend.
The UN mission noted that the negative impact of the laws has affected people of both sexes, especially small business owners such as private schools, hairdressers, tailors, catering companies and restaurants, resulting in reduced income or complete loss of jobs.
The report says both direct and indirect socio-economic impacts of the laws' implementation are likely to worsen Afghanistan's already dire economic situation.
A World Bank study has found that the government's ban on women's education and work could cost the country more than $1.4 billion (£1 billion) each year.
Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada stresses the importance of Islamic law and the role of the Ministry of Vice and Virtue in transforming Afghan society and its citizens.
In a message released ahead of the religious holiday of Eid al-Fitr, which ends Ramadan, Akhundzada said it was necessary to “create a society free from corruption and trials and prevent future generations from falling prey to false beliefs, harmful practices and bad morals.”
More than 3,300 inspectors, mostly men, are responsible for informing citizens about the laws and ensuring they are followed, according to the report.
No one from the Ministry of Vice and Virtue was available to comment on the report.
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
