Taliban Arrest Women for Dress Code Violations

Key Points:

• The UN mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) reported that at least 52 women and one girl were arrested or detained by Taliban authorities between July and September for alleged violations of dress codes and restrictions on appearing in public without a male guardian.
• Violations cited included wearing colorful scarves or makeup, leaving hair visible, or not wearing the mandated chador garment, with UNAMA expressing grave concern over arrests, detentions, and threats against women.
• UNAMA highlighted that the actual number of cases may be higher due to underreporting caused by protection concerns and stigma, and also noted incidents of verbal abuse, beatings, and threats against women, including female shopkeepers.
• Since the Taliban regained power in 2021, they have enforced strict Shariah-based rules severely restricting women's freedoms, including bans on education beyond primary school and mandatory full hijab in public, enforced by the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice.
• In June, Afghan authorities opened fire on a rare protest in Herat against these arrests, resulting in at least one death and several injuries, illustrating the Taliban's intolerance of dissent and protests.