ISLAMABAD: The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has expressed “serious human rights concerns” following the arrest and detention of multiple women in Afghanistan’s western Herat province for alleged non-compliance with Taliban-imposed dress requirements.
According to Afghanistan International, Taliban authorities launched a large-scale operation in Herat on Saturday targeting women accused of violating the prescribed dress code, resulting in the detention of multiple individuals.
In a statement posted on X on Sunday, UNAMA said it was concerned “over multiple arrests and detentions of women in Herat” linked to alleged breaches of dress requirements.
The UN mission said the detentions raise “serious human rights concerns” and urged Afghanistan’s de facto authorities to respect fundamental freedoms.
“We remind the de facto authorities that all people have the right to freedom of movement and that all persons, both women and men, are entitled to equality before the law,” UNAMA said.
The arrests are the latest in a series of measures imposed by Taliban authorities since their return to power in August 2021.
The group has enforced a strict interpretation of Islamic law, requiring women to adhere to extensive dress regulations and limiting their participation in public life.
Over the past four years, Taliban authorities have progressively tightened restrictions on women and girls, barring them from universities, public parks, gyms and beauty salons, while curtailing employment and social opportunities.
The United Nations and human rights advocates have repeatedly warned that the cumulative impact of these policies has led to the systematic exclusion of women from public life.
UN officials have previously described the situation as one of the most severe women’s rights crises in the world.
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