Taliban bans chess in Afghanistan: A look at previous global crackdowns on the ancient game

The Taliban has banned chess in Afghanistan, calling it haram under Islamic law. But this isn’t the first time the game has faced crackdowns. Here’s when chess has been caught in political and religious crossfire in the past.

In a fresh blow to people’s freedom in Afghanistan, the Taliban has officially banned the game of chess, calling it “haram” under their interpretation of Islamic law. According to a report by Khaama Press, the ban was announced by the Ministry of Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice in the Taliban government.

The ministry also confirmed that the Afghanistan Chess Federation has been dissolved and all chess-related activities are now suspended until further notice. This latest crackdown adds chess to the growing list of banned activities in Afghanistan, like cricket for women and education for girls beyond primary school.

Afghanistan, where the Taliban has been steadily imposing religious restrictions since returning to power in 2021, has become a very difficult place to live not just for women and girls but also for people who love doing things that are considered “haram” or forbidden by the government ruled by religious fanatics.

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