HERAT — Taliban authorities have intensified enforcement of restrictions in the western Afghan city of Herat, expanding patrols, checkpoints and dress-code inspections following a June crackdown that triggered rare public protests and drew renewed international criticism over the treatment of women.
Residents and rights organizations say Taliban morality officials, backed by security forces, have maintained a heightened presence across parts of Herat since demonstrations erupted after women were detained for allegedly violating the authorities' mandatory dress code. Local residents have reported increased vehicle searches, phone inspections at some checkpoints and a reduced public presence of women in commercial areas.
The U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said at least 30 women were arrested in Herat on June 6 and 7 by officials from the Taliban's Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, together with police, for alleged dress-code violations. UNAMA said the women were released on June 8 but warned that the arrests had caused lasting fear among women and their families.
On June 9, residents gathered in Herat's Jebrail area to protest the detentions. UNAMA said Taliban security forces used excessive force to disperse the demonstration, confirming that at least one boy was killed by gunfire and several other people were injured while it investigated reports of an additional fatality.
Human Rights Watch also condemned the response, saying Taliban forces beat demonstrators and fired toward crowds during the protest, while calling on the authorities to end what it described as gender-based persecution of women.
Taliban officials have defended the enforcement campaign. Herat police spokesperson Sayed Masoud Hosseini told the state-run Bakhtar News Agency in June that security forces intervened because the gathering disrupted public order under the pretext of opposing Islamic hijab requirements. Taliban officials have denied arresting women solely because of dress-code violations, saying their efforts are intended to promote compliance with Islamic regulations.
Subsequent reports from local media and residents indicated that Taliban authorities continued tightening oversight in Herat, including additional warnings to girls' educational institutions over compliance with dress requirements and continued patrols by morality police. Independent verification of some local reports has not been possible.
The developments in Herat form part of a broader pattern of restrictions imposed by the Taliban since returning to power in 2021, measures that have been repeatedly criticized by the United Nations and international human rights organizations. As of July 12, no official announcement indicated that the heightened enforcement measures in Herat had been lifted.
