Taliban Detains Afghan Women in Latest Morality Crackdown
Dozens of women and girls were rounded up by female morality police in Kabul, with reports of increased patrols and fear among residents.
The Taliban's morality police recently detained more than a dozen Afghan women and girls in Kabul, dragging them into a van in what reports describe as a brutal crackdown. Footage from the Shah-e Do Shamshira area showed a woman, believed to be a Taliban official, attempting to force another woman into a vehicle while a male officer and other women were inside.
Approximately 16 women were detained, though four were later released after their phones were searched, according to Kabul Now, a US-based Afghan newspaper. The exact reason for the arrests remains unclear, but the incident occurs amidst a broader effort by the Taliban to enforce strict dress codes and Sharia law. This follows a similar detention of at least nine women in Herat the previous month, despite them wearing hijabs.
Residents have expressed increasing fear of leaving their homes, with one Herat resident telling Amu TV, a US-based Afghan broadcaster, that women are "harassed everywhere under the pretext of enforcing morality." The resident added that women are "being detained, intimidated and subjected to psychological abuse, yet no one is listening."
Another report cited four women being detained outside the Marble Market for wearing long coats, even though they were compliant with hijab requirements. Concerns have also been raised about increased street patrols by the morality police in Kabul.
In the Panjshir province, female doctors at a local hospital were reportedly told they would not be permitted to work unless they wore a burqa. The recent detentions follow a protest in June against the Taliban's morality police, which resulted in one death and several injuries when officials opened fire on demonstrators.
During the June demonstration, protesters denounced the detention of women for violating dress codes. Sayed Masoud Hosseini, a spokesperson for Herat police, stated that the gathering had "created tensions" and disturbed public order. This demonstration occurred after widespread outrage over previous detentions in Herat for alleged non-compliance with the Taliban's strict dress interpretations.
Since regaining power in August 2021, the Taliban has progressively increased restrictions on women and girls, including bans on secondary and university education, limitations on employment, and stringent regulations on their public appearance and movement. Herat, historically known for its cultural vibrancy, has seen significant societal changes.
The United Nations Human Rights Office has reported a severe worsening of conditions for ordinary Afghans, particularly women and girls, under Taliban rule. UN Human Rights chief Volker Türk stated in March that the "cascade of edicts and laws" has had a "crushing impact." Women are excluded from higher education, and medical graduation examinations have been held without their participation. Those not complying with the chador requirement have been removed from public transport and denied access to public markets and services.
New laws require girls to wait until puberty to seek marriage dissolution and mandate mediation for women escaping abusive husbands. Türk concluded that the authorities have effectively "criminalised the presence of women and girls in public life," impacting their healthcare, civic participation, freedom of movement, and expression, describing Afghanistan as a "graveyard for human rights."