As the Taliban face mounting criticism for banning women from universities in Afghanistan, they have defended their decision, saying the female students did not follow instructions and violated the dress code.

The Taliban’s minister of higher education, Nida Mohammad Nadeem, said the ban was necessary to prevent gender mixing in universities, and because some subjects taught in universities violate the principles of Islam, theweek.in writes.

“Unfortunately, after 14 months, the instructions of the Ministry of Higher Education of the Islamic Emirate regarding the education of women have not been implemented,” Nadeem said in an interview with state television.

Another reason for banning the university, he called women’s non-observance of the dress code. “I told the girls to wear the correct hijab, but they didn’t and they were wearing dresses like they were going to a wedding ceremony,” he said. “The girls were studying agriculture and engineering, but it didn’t fit into the Afghan culture. Girls should be educated, but not in areas that are against Islam and Afghan honor.”

Nadeem also said that members of the international community should not “interfere in the internal affairs of Afghanistan.”

Protests erupted in Kabul after the ban, with women marching through the streets chanting “Freedom and Equality!” but many protesters were beaten and flogged by the military brought in by the government.