HERAT, Afghanistan — The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has expressed concern over the arrests and detentions of women in the western city of Herat for allegedly failing to comply with dress code regulations, the mission said.
UNAMA raised the issue in a statement posted on X late on Sunday, saying the incidents raise “serious human rights concerns.” The mission urged Taliban authorities to treat all people equally under the law.
Local media reported that at least 21 women and girls were detained in Herat province last week for alleged non-compliance with requirements that women wear a proper hijab and full-body coverings such as the chadari or burqa in public. Details of the exact number of detentions and the current status of those held remained unclear on Monday.
Sources in Herat told outlets that morality police carried out the arrests starting around Saturday. Some reports indicated that detained women and their families were required to sign commitments to follow the dress rules.
The Taliban’s Information and Culture Department in Herat denied the arrests, describing such claims as “rumors,” while confirming ongoing enforcement of dress regulations, according to local reporting. Taliban officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment from international news agencies.
The incidents come amid the Taliban’s continued enforcement of strict rules on women’s attire since the group returned to power in 2021. In May 2022, authorities issued guidance requiring women to cover their bodies fully in public, with male relatives held responsible for compliance.
“UNAMA is concerned over multiple arrests and detentions of women in Herat...for alleged non-compliance with dress requirements, which raises serious human rights concerns,” the mission said.
The developments reflect broader restrictions on Afghan women and girls under Taliban rule, including limits on education, work and movement that have drawn repeated international criticism. UNAMA did not provide further details on the Herat cases.
As of Monday, it was not immediately clear how many women remained in detention or whether any had been released.
