Afghanistan's Taliban rulers have introduced a new law that imposes more restrictions on women. One provision obliges women to cover their bodies and faces when in public.

Afghan media outlets have reported that the Taliban interim government's Justice Ministry published the law on Wednesday.

The new law requires females to cover their entire bodies and veil their faces. They are also forbidden to speak loudly or sing in public settings.

Another provision of the law prohibits women from looking at men to whom they are not related by blood or marriage.

The Taliban have indicated that the aim of the restrictions is twofold to prevent people from being tempted and to prevent individuals from tempting others.

The head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, Roza Otunbayeva, expressed concerns about the law in a statement released on Sunday.

She said, "It extends the already intolerable restrictions on the rights of Afghan women and girls."

She also pledged to continue to urge the Taliban to improve the human rights situation for women.

Earlier this month, the Taliban interim government banned Richard Bennett, the UN special rapporteur on the human rights situation in Afghanistan, from entering the country.