KABUL AFGHANISTAN – The Afghanistan Freedom Front, reacting to the arrest of women and the suppression of protests in Herat by the Taliban, says that the Taliban’s Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice has now resorted to “abducting women” and extorting their families.
In a statement released on Tuesday night (June 9), the group said: “After abducting women in Herat, the Taliban have demanded 12,000 Afghanis in cash and a guarantee letter from the male family members for the release of each detainee.”
The Afghanistan Freedom Front added that when a number of Herat residents gathered today “to protest against violations of human dignity and honor, as well as the abduction and extortion of women and girls,” the Taliban moved to suppress the demonstrations. According to the group, several protesters were killed and wounded during the crackdown.
The group also said that the Taliban “even abducted a number of wounded women from hospitals following the protests.”
In its statement, the Afghanistan Freedom Front said: “This behavior of the Taliban is neither new nor will it be the last instance; the nature and essence of the Taliban is intertwined with oppression, discrimination, and violence.”
The group added: “We deeply understand and feel the suffering of the free and aware people of Herat today, and to escape this abnormal situation and widespread territorial enslavement, we will employ all that we can.”
The Afghanistan Freedom Front concluded its statement by saying: “The Taliban have left no path but war or acceptance of slavery and living under the sword of oppression, and the people of Afghanistan are not accustomed to slavery and submission!”
Residents of the Jebrail area of Herat staged protests today in response to the arrest of women by the Taliban’s Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice.
However, the Taliban suppressed the protest by firing live ammunition and using batons. As a result of the Taliban forces’ gunfire, at least four people, including a child, were injured.
There are also unconfirmed reports that a woman and a child were killed by Taliban gunfire during the protests, but KabulNow has not been able to verify these reports.
In recent days, the Taliban’s Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice has intensified restrictions on women’s movement and has arrested dozens of women from various parts of Herat, including Jebrail, on accusations of failing to observe the form of hijab mandated by the group.
The Taliban’s detention of women and girls has drawn widespread international criticism. The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), UN Special Rapporteur Richard Bennett, Amnesty International, and other rights organizations have called for an immediate end to the crackdown.
The issue was also raised at a UN Security Council meeting on Afghanistan on Monday, where Georgette Gagnon, acting head of UNAMA, cited reports that around 30 women had been detained in Herat by Taliban morality police and other officials.
Since returning to power in 2021, the Taliban have imposed sweeping restrictions on women and girls, including bans on secondary and university education, limits on employment, and strict rules governing dress and movement. Human rights organizations and UN officials have repeatedly criticized the measures as systematic discrimination against women and girls.
The reported arrests and subsequent protests in Herat come amid growing concerns over the Taliban’s enforcement of restrictions on women and girls. Rights advocates have repeatedly raised alarm about measures limiting women’s freedom of movement, access to public spaces, and participation in social life, while calls for accountability and independent verification of reported abuses continue from both domestic and international observers.
