The Taliban on Tuesday hit out at the United Nations (UN) and Western nations for spreading propaganda against their Islamic Emirate.
"There is wide propaganda against the Islamic Emirate from the address of the United Nations and some other Western countries," the Taliban's chief spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid said on Twitter.
"Islamic laws are under implementation in Afghanistan, objecting to them is a problem with Islam," he added.
Mujahid's criticism of the UN and Western countries came after UN Special Rapporteur of human rights in Afghanistan Richard Bennett labeled the hardline Islamic group's treatment of women as "gender apartheid" on Monday.
"Grave, systematic and institutionalized discrimination against women and girls is at the heart of Taliban ideology and rule, which also gives rise to concerns that they may be responsible for gender apartheid," Bennett told reporters in Geneva.
The UN describes gender apartheid as "economic and social sexual discrimination against individuals because of their gender or sex."
The UN's comments about the situation of women in Afghanistan come at a time when foreign countries have repeatedly urged the Taliban to withdraw its harsh restrictions on women.
Following its return to power in Kabul in 2021, the Taliban barred women from all forms of education except primary school. The opposite sex is also banned from jobs in both the private and government sector. Earlier this year, the Taliban barred the female staff of the UN's country office from working in Kabul.
Other restrictions on women include a ban on visiting parks, gyms, restaurants, and eateries.
The UN's comments about the situation of women in Afghanistan come at a time when foreign countries have repeatedly urged the Taliban to withdraw its harsh restrictions on women.
Following its return to power in Kabul in 2021, the Taliban barred women from all forms of education except primary school. The opposite sex is also banned from jobs in both the private and government sector. Earlier this year, the Taliban barred the female staff of the UN's country office from working in Kabul.
Other restrictions on women include a ban on visiting parks, gyms, restaurants, and eateries.
* under UN sanctions for terrorism