Taliban detains 4 men for dressing as 'Peaky Blinders' characters
What's the story
Four young men in Afghanistan's Herat province were detained by the Taliban for dressing up as characters from the British hit show Peaky Blinders. The Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice accused them of "promoting foreign culture." The men, aged in their early 20s, had become popular in Jibrail township for wearing trench coats and flat caps similar to the Shelby family from Peaky Blinders.
Cultural defense
Taliban defends detention, cites cultural values
Saif-ur-Islam Khyber, a spokesman for the government ministry, defended the detention on social media. He said they were "promoting foreign culture and imitating film actors in Herat." Khyber stressed Afghanistan has its own religion, culture, and values which must be protected from harmful influences. "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 now we are also defending it."
Regret expressed
Young men express regret over their actions
However, he later clarified to CBS News that the men were not formally arrested but "summoned and advised." A video released by the ministry featured one of the young men expressing regret over wearing Western clothing. He said, "Without realizing it, I used to publish and spread things that were against Sharia." The buddies, Asghar Husinai, Jalil Yaqoobi, Ashore Akbari, and Daud Rasa, were frequently spotted wearing outfits inspired by the Shelby family from the Netflix blockbuster series.
Twitter Post
Video shows them dressing up as Shelby brothers
Taliban detains 4 men for dressing up as Peaky Blinders
— Defiant L’s (@DefiantLs) December 10, 2025
“We saved this country from the spread of a corrupt culture at great sacrifice, and now we will protect it,” Taliban representative said.pic.twitter.com/Q6iSpKxq2j
Friends
'At first we were hesitant'
In an interview, which was shared by local YouTube channel Hirat Mic in November, the friends expressed their admiration for the show's fashion and reported receiving very positive feedback from locals. "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," Yaqoobi said. "Some comments were negative, but we only paid attention to the appreciation."
Broader crackdown
Detentions part of broader crackdown on 'un-Islamic' behavior
The detentions are part of a wider campaign by the Taliban to enforce strict dress codes and societal rules. This includes curbing women's rights, barring them from work and education after age 11. The Taliban returned to power in August 2021 after two decades of Western-backed governance, following an agreement with the US during President Donald Trump's first term.