A group of United Nations human rights experts issued a scathing condemnation on Thursday against a violent crackdown on women by morality police in Herat, western Afghanistan. The enforcement of a strict dress code has sparked deadly protests, arbitrary detentions, and international outrage over the escalating erosion of fundamental freedoms.
The operation, which began on Saturday, saw Herat’s morality police arrest dozens of women for failing to wear the body-cloaking chador or burqa in public. The crackdown is enforced by the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice (PVPV), which mandates that women must be almost entirely covered when leaving their homes.
Deadly Force Used Against Protesters
Tensions ignited on Tuesday when a protest against the restrictive measures was violently dispersed. In a formal statement, 10 independent experts appointed by the UN Human Rights Council confirmed that at least two people were killed and over 20 others wounded when security forces intervened.
“Allegations that women were detained for dress code violations are deeply concerning and may constitute arbitrary and unlawful detention, as it appears to penalise the exercise of their right to freedom of expression and right to be free from gender discrimination,” the experts stated. They further emphasized that “equality, peaceful assembly, freedom of expression and movement, and protection from arbitrary detention are fundamental rights.”
While witnesses reported that security forces opened fire on the crowd, local police have denied that any weapons were used. The UN statement, however, corroborates accounts of a boy being shot dead during the chaos.
Medical Worker Detained for Dress Code
Among those swept up in the arrests was a female medical worker employed by the international NGO Doctors Without Borders (MSF). The organization reported that the medic was heading to her shift in the paediatric ward of Herat Regional Hospital on Saturday when she was stopped by morality police and accused of non-compliance with the dress code.
She was held in detention for two days and was only released after she, her husband, and relatives were forced to sign a written commitment to wear clothing mandated by the PVPV. MSF expressed outrage at the incident, stating, “This incident is not isolated. Women in Afghanistan already face very severe restrictions on movement and access to public life.”
The PVPV has not commented on the detentions despite requests for information. However, the ministry’s provincial department in Herat warned that newly enforced regulations could lead to detention or imprisonment for violators. A list of rules published by the department on Wednesday includes a ban on wearing make-up, a prohibition on any visible hair, and a mandatory order to wear socks.
Many Afghan women typically wear a flowing abaya robe, a Muslim headscarf, and a face covering, which does not meet the stricter new requirements for a full chador or burqa.
