ALBAWABA - Four young men were recently arrested by the Taliban for cosplaying as characters from the hit British drama series Peaky Blinders.
According to local sources, the organisation accused the young men of promoting "foreign culture" before detaining them in Herat. Ministry spokesperson Saif-ur-Islam Khyber said that the Taliban launched a "rehabilitation programme" for them.
Khyber added, "We saved this country from the spread of a corrupt culture at great sacrifice, and now we will protect it."
The Taliban detains 4 Peaky Blinders cosplayers in Afghanistan
Media identified the four men as Asghar Husinai, Jalil Yaqoobi, Ashore Akbari, and Daud Ras, who are known on social media as "Jebrael Shelbys." The nickname is derived from their hometown, Jebrael, and Peaky Blinders' protagonist Thomas Shelby, as reported by Arab News.
After their arrest, the young men were forced to apologise on national television. One of the men said, "Without realising it, I used to publish and spread things that were against Sharia", and stated further that he will stop engaging with "such sinful activities."
Khyber told CBS that the Peaky Blinders cosplayers were "summoned, advised and released." Lastly, a friend of the young men criticised their arrest, calling it ridiculous. The friend added that the country has always felt like a prison due to tight and strict laws.
