A government crackdown on a protest against the arrest and detention of more than a dozen women over dress code violations left at least three people injured during demonstrations in Herat on Tuesday, according to reports.
Eyewitnesses stated that armed police opened fire during the protest, which involved more than 100 people in the city. Protest activity is rare in Afghanistan, which has been governed by the Taliban since 2021 following the withdrawal of U.S.-led forces. The Taliban has implemented strict Islamic law governing public behavior, including severe restrictions on women and girls, such as bans on secondary education and requirements for specific clothing when outside the home.
Government regulations mandate that women must wear full hijab—comprising a headscarf, full-body robe, and face covering exposing only the eyes—when in public. These rules are enforced by the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice.
The UN’s special investigator on human rights in Afghanistan expressed alarm at the alleged excessive use of force against peaceful protesters. On social media, he called for accountability and urged authorities to respect citizens’ freedom of expression, particularly women and girls.
The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan previously raised concerns over the arrests of women in Herat and similar detentions in Kabul. A human rights monitor confirmed at least 16 arrests and detentions in Herat since Friday, including a pregnant woman, related to non-compliance with dress codes.
Afghanistan’s Ministry of Vice and Virtue dismissed reports of female detentions, claiming such incidents were rumors and that hijab adherence was a divine obligation. Following Friday prayer announcements in Herat mosques instructing women not to leave home without proper veiling, the arrests began shortly afterward.