A source in Herat has claimed that the Herat Department for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice intends to detain women who are seen in markets and public places without a chadari (full-body veil), with uncovered faces, wearing tight-fitting clothing, or displaying makeup, through specially designated patrol units.
According to the source, the Herat Department for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice recently convened a meeting during which directives and official memoranda were distributed to participants, outlining new measures aimed at monitoring and enforcing women’s dress-code regulations.
The source further stated that details of a provincial-level decision were also presented during the meeting. According to the source, the decision was reached at a gathering attended by the Governor of Herat and officials from the Department for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice. It is reportedly set to be communicated to the public through community council heads, neighborhood representatives, and mosque imams.
Based on information provided by the source, the decision stipulates that, in an effort to prevent what authorities describe as “improper veiling” and to enforce Islamic legal provisions related to women’s attire, any woman observed in markets or public spaces without a chadari, with her face uncovered, wearing tight clothing, or appearing with makeup, will be subject to detention by special patrol teams.
The source added that these patrol units will comprise representatives of the Department for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, alongside female and male police officers. Women found in violation of the regulations would reportedly be transferred to the women’s prison in Herat.
According to the source, implementation of the decision is scheduled to commence on 16 Jawza 1405 (June 6, 2026), which falls on a Saturday.
It should be noted that this information has been provided by a single source and has not been independently verified.
Writer:Saeed Sameer
