Fereshta Abbasi

The Taliban's strict restrictions on Afghan women since 2021 have erased their presence from public spaces, banned work in essential professions, and limited education to primary levels. Recent protests in Herat against morality police raids resulted in arrests, violence, and at least two deaths, including a child, as women and men demanded education, work, and freedom.

Afghan Taliban authorities opened fire on a protest in Herat against the arrest of women for dress code violations, injuring at least three people. The protest, rare under Taliban rule, opposed strict Islamic dress regulations enforced by the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice. The Taliban denied reports of arrests, calling them 'rumors,' while UN and human rights groups condemned the violence.

Afghan authorities in Herat opened fire on a protest against the arrest of women for dress code violations, injuring at least three people. The Taliban enforces strict Islamic dress rules for women, including full hijab and face coverings, policed by the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice. The UN and Human Rights Watch condemned the use of force and called for accountability.