Afghan security forces shut down a demonstration supporting women’s rights in Herat province on Tuesday, following reports that morality police had detained women for alleged violations of required dress codes.
According to eyewitnesses, the confrontation resulted in one fatality, multiple injuries, and the arrest of dozens of participants, including women and girls. Taliban officials have not verified these casualty reports or arrest numbers.
The police spokesperson for Herat, Sayed Masoud Hosseini, informed the government-controlled Bakhtar News Agency that the demonstration in the Jebrail district had “created tensions” and disrupted public peace while opposing the Islamic hijab under false pretenses, calling it a religious duty.
Eyewitness accounts indicate the demonstration began after officials from the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice tried to detain women who opposed the compulsory dress regulations.
Local residents reported that authorities even targeted women who were already following the mandated dress standards, which require complete coverage of the face and body.
Footage from Herat captured armed officials dispersing the crowd, which included completely veiled women among those protesting. One video showed people seeking shelter as gunfire could be heard nearby.
Following their takeover of power in Kabul during 2021, the Taliban has established extensive limitations on women and girls throughout the conflict-torn nation, including restrictions on educational access, work opportunities, and athletic participation, prompting widespread condemnation from the international community.
Herat, historically known as one of Afghanistan’s most culturally and socially dynamic cities, has experienced substantial transformations.
The U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan expressed concern on Monday regarding reports of women being detained in western Afghanistan for purportedly not meeting dress code standards. The mission called on Taliban leadership to honor freedom of movement and equal treatment under the law.
Taliban officials maintain they honor women’s rights according to their understanding of Islamic law.
