Local sources in Herat say that Taliban officials from the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice have arrested at least five women over the past two days, including from inside the Herat public hospital and Lailami Street. According to these sources, the Taliban have so far provided no explanation for the arrests and have not disclosed where the women were taken.
The arrests come amid multiple reports in recent weeks of the detention and harassment of women who were wearing manteaus (long coats) or who, according to sources, had not complied with the Taliban’s required dress code. Taliban officials have not issued any official comments on the matter.
According to sources, on Saturday, 10 Asad (August 1), Taliban morality police detained three women inside Herat Regional Hospital. Sources say the officials closed the hospital gate for several minutes and reopened it after taking the three women away.
Lailami Street, one of Herat’s major shopping areas and a busy location frequently visited by women in the city center, has also witnessed the detention of several women. Previous reports have also documented arrests of women in this area.
Sources say the latest wave of arrests of women in Herat began on Wednesday, 7 Asad (July 29). On that day, the Taliban detained at least five women from 64-Meter Street, Pul-e Rangina area, and several shopping centers.
Sources also reported that on Thursday, 8 Asad (July 30), an unspecified number of women were detained on Silk Road and Khwaja Abdullah Ansari Street. The arrests continued on Friday, 9 Asad (July 31), when at least four more women were detained from shopping centers along 64-Meter Street.
The first major wave of arrests of women in Herat began on 16 Jawza (June 6). A day before the operation started, the Taliban’s Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice had announced that women who failed to comply with the group’s required dress code would face arrest and imprisonment.
The arrests of women on 19 Jawza (June 9) were met with protests by some residents of the Jebrail area of Herat. According to sources, Taliban forces fired shots to disperse the protesters, resulting in the deaths of two people.
Three days later, a group of citizens also gathered outside the Taliban governor’s office in Herat and chanted slogans including “Woman, Life, Freedom” and “Education, Work, Freedom.” The Taliban have so far issued no official statement regarding these protests or the recent arrests.
Writer:Salima Aryaei
