KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – At least 52 women and one girl were briefly arrested or detained by Taliban authorities in Kabul and Herat between July and September for alleged violations of the group’s strict dress code, the United Nations said on Thursday.
In a statement, the U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said the women were held for reasons including not wear a chador, having visible hair, wearing colourful scarves or makeup, or appearing in public without a male guardian.
The women were released after several hours, UNAMA said. It noted that the true number of cases could be higher, as some incidents may go unreported because of fears over personal protection and social stigma.
UNAMA said the detentions violated the rights of women and girls to freedom of movement, expression and personal autonomy. The mission warned that such actions could expose the women to further social stigma and marginalization.
The U.N. mission also expressed concern over separate reports of verbal abuse, beatings and threats directed at women, including female shopkeepers.
UNAMA called on the Taliban authorities to end discriminatory practices affecting women and girls, respect the human rights and dignity of all Afghans, and fulfil Afghanistan’s obligations under international human rights law.
Since returning to power in 2021, the Taliban have imposed sweeping restrictions on women and girls. These include bans on secondary and higher education, severe limits on employment and movement, and strict rules on clothing.
Under the Taliban’s Law on the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, women are required to fully cover their bodies in public and face additional restrictions on their movement and conduct. Taliban morality officials have been granted broad powers to enforce the rules.
U.N. experts and legal scholars have described the cumulative restrictions on women and girls as potentially amounting to gender persecution, which is classified as a crime against humanity.
Earlier this week, the International Criminal Court unsealed two additional arrest warrants for senior Taliban officials. The warrants relate to alleged crimes against humanity involving the systematic deprivation of the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan. They add to existing warrants already issued against the group’s leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada, and the head of its supreme court, Abdulhakim Haqani.
The Taliban have rejected international criticism, saying their rules are based on their interpretation of Islamic law and Afghan culture.
