Afghan Men Arrested by Taliban for Wearing 'Peaky Blinders' Inspired Outfits in Herat

The Taliban administration in Afghanistan detained four young men in Herat after they were spotted wearing attire inspired by the popular British television series "Peaky Blinders." The authorities subsequently placed them in a rehabilitation program.

These men, accused of promoting foreign culture, were wearing trench coats, flat caps, and suits resembling the iconic style from the show, according to CBS News. Asghar Husinai, Jalil Yaqoobi, Ashore Akbari, and Daud Rasa, all in their early twenties, had been regularly seen walking through the streets of Jibrail township.

The Taliban's Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice took them into custody after videos and photos of them in these outfits circulated online. Some social media users referred to them as the "Jebrael Shelbys."

Saif-ur-Islam Khyber, spokesperson for the ministry, stated that the men were arrested for imitating film actors and introducing styles that contradicted Afghan values. The Taliban consider anything Western, modern, or inspired by media as inappropriate or un-Islamic.

"We have our own religious and cultural values, and particularly regarding clothing, we have specific traditional styles," Khyber explained.

"Praise be to Allah, we are Muslims and Afghans; we have our own religion, culture, and values. Through numerous sacrifices, we have protected this country from the spread of harmful cultures, and we continue to defend it," he added.

While reports indicated that the four young men had been placed in a rehabilitation program, Khyber informed CBS News that they were merely summoned by Taliban officials, given a warning about their behavior, and subsequently released.

He elaborated that Afghanistan, under Taliban governance, adheres to strict religious and cultural values, especially concerning attire.

"The clothing they wore has no Afghan identity whatsoever and does not align with our culture. Additionally, their actions were imitating actors from a British production. Our society is Muslim; if we are to follow or emulate someone, we should follow our righteous religious predecessors in good and lawful matters," he further stated.

One of the detained individuals said, "I was summoned and advised, and from today onward I will no longer engage in such sinful activities — and I have stopped."

In a previous interview posted on a local YouTube channel, the four young men mentioned they were inspired by the fashion from the show and enjoyed experimenting with a style that felt fashionable and distinctive.

"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 them remarked.

During the interview, one of the friends also noted that their interest in clothing wasn't restricted to Western styles. They mentioned plans to later showcase traditional clothing from Afghanistan's various ethnic groups.