Four ‘Peaky Blinders’ fans in Afghanistan were detained by the Taliban for adopting a style they said was “in conflict with Afghan values.” According to officials, the men were summoned by the Taliban’s department of vice and virtue after dressing in outfits inspired by the TV series.A video shared on Instagram invited this action from the Taliban government for “promoting foreign culture”, according to the Taliban spokesperson. Saiful Islam Khyber, spokesperson of Taliban’s department of vice and virtue, said, “Even jeans would be acceptable, but the values in the Peaky Blinders series are against Afghan culture,” BBC reported.The men, all in their twenties and residents of Jibrail in Herat province, appeared in several videos that highlighted their distinct fashion style. These videos, according to Taliban officials, were the basis for summoning them.
Khyber stated that a rehabilitation centre was set up for the group, where they were not arrested but advised and ultimately released. He described the process as a corrective measure aimed at preventing the spread of what authorities view as foreign or inappropriate influences.“They were promoting foreign culture and imitating British actors in Herat, arrested, and a rehabilitation program started for them,” he said.Khyber explained that their clothing lacked any connection to Afghan identity and that their gestures and poses mirrored British actors, which he argued was unacceptable in a Muslim society with its own longstanding traditions.“We have our own religious and cultural values, and especially for clothing, we have specific traditional styles,” he said. “The clothing they wore has no Afghan identity at all and does not match our culture. Secondly, their actions were an imitation of actors from a British movie. Our society is Muslim. If we are to follow or imitate someone, we should follow our righteous religious predecessors in good and lawful matters.”Before their detention, the four friends had appeared on a YouTube channel to discuss their unconventional style. They described how they were initially unsure about public reactions but soon found that many people appreciated their fashion choices.“At first we were hesitant, but once we went outside, people liked our style, stopped us in the streets and wanted to take photos with us,” one of the men said, according to CNBC.
