Heavy Taliban Security in Herat Forces Cancellation of Dress Code Protest
Authorities in the western Afghan city of Herat have significantly intensified security measures following a wave of arrests targeting women for alleged dress code violations. The heavy presence of military and police personnel forced local residents to abandon a demonstration planned for Friday according to eyewitnesses speaking to the AFP news agency.
The Taliban introduced severely restricted clothing mandates for Afghan women earlier this week. Under the new regulations authorities have established strict boundaries on female appearance in public.
The updated rules dictate that women are strictly forbidden from:
- Wearing any form of cosmetics
- Showing any visible hair
- Appearing in public without face masks and socks
Those who fail to comply with these stringent demands face the very real threat of imprisonment.
Since returning to power the Taliban have consistently eroded women’s rights and freedoms. Females are currently banned from accessing numerous public spaces and girls are prohibited from continuing their education past the age of 12.
A climate of fear
Local residents report a highly visible security operation across Herat to suppress dissent. The city streets are currently being heavily patrolled by armed police, intelligence officials and military vehicles.
This surge in security follows aggressive raids by the morality police which resulted in the detention of dozens of women. The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) confirmed that at least 30 women were arrested in the city simply for failing to adhere to the strict new clothing mandates.
Georgette Gagnon, the Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Afghanistan, warned of the severe social consequences of these detentions. She stated that arresting women in the country carries a massive stigmatising effect that can expose them to further violence and isolation within their families and communities upon their release.
Deadly prior demonstrations
The heightened security presence aims to prevent a repeat of a recent protest held in Herat against the ongoing arrests. According to a panel of UN experts that earlier demonstration turned violent, resulting in the deaths of at least two individuals and leaving more than 20 others injured.
Local police forces have vehemently denied any allegations of using firearms against the demonstrators. Afghan authorities have also completely rejected reports of any fatalities while maintaining that the rally was shut down because it violated public security regulations.
