A group of United Nations experts has condemned a crackdown on women in Afghanistan, saying at least two people were killed and more than 20 others wounded during protests against new restrictions in the western city of Herat.
The protest followed a campaign by Herat’s morality police, who began arresting dozens of women on Saturday for not wearing the chador or burqa, garments required under local dress code regulations.
According to the UN experts, a demonstration against the arrests was forcibly dispersed on Tuesday. Witnesses said security forces opened fire on protesters, while police denied using weapons during the incident.
In a statement, 10 independent experts appointed by the UN Human Rights Council expressed concern over reports that women were detained for alleged dress code violations. They said such actions could amount to arbitrary and unlawful detention and may violate fundamental rights, including freedom of expression and protection from gender discrimination.
The experts stressed that equality, peaceful assembly, freedom of movement and protection from arbitrary detention are basic human rights that must be respected.
Dress regulations in Afghanistan are enforced by the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice. Under current rules, women are required to cover nearly their entire bodies when leaving home. While many women wear an abaya, headscarf and face covering, authorities in Herat have recently increased enforcement of stricter clothing requirements.
Among those detained was a medical worker employed by Doctors Without Borders (MSF). The aid group said the woman was on her way to work in the paediatric ward of Herat Regional Hospital when morality police stopped and detained her for allegedly failing to comply with the dress code.
MSF said she was held for two days and released only after signing a written commitment, alongside her husband and relatives, to follow clothing requirements set by authorities.
The organisation described the arrest as unacceptable and said the incident reflected the growing restrictions faced by women in Afghanistan. MSF added that Afghan women already face severe limitations on movement and participation in public life.
Authorities from the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice have not publicly commented on the arrests. However, officials in Herat recently announced new regulations and warned that violations could result in detention or imprisonment.
The latest rules published in Herat include bans on make-up, visible hair and other forms of dress considered non-compliant. Women have also been instructed to wear socks when outside their homes.