Taliban Arrest at Least 30 Women in Herat Over Hijab Rules, Including 1 Pregnant Detainee
Updated
Updated · The Independent · Jun 9
Taliban Arrest at Least 30 Women in Herat Over Hijab Rules, Including 1 Pregnant Detainee
3 articles · Updated · The Independent · Jun 9
Summary
At least 30 women were detained in Herat by Taliban morality police for alleged dress-code violations, and one pregnant woman was transferred to a provincial prison.
The arrests followed a new order from supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada barring women from appearing in public without a “proper hijab,” with local officials warning women not to show skin or wear makeup.
Witnesses described raid-like street sweeps in which Taliban officers carrying sticks seized women in markets; some resisted, while others fled, and a shopkeeper said some detainees had already been observing the code.
The UN mission in Afghanistan told the Security Council the detentions raise serious human-rights concerns and reminded the Taliban that women are entitled to freedom of movement and equality before the law.
The crackdown adds to broader restrictions on Afghan women and girls, as the UN says 3.8 million girls aged 7 to 18 are out of school, including 2.6 million adolescents.
A pregnant woman was arrested for her dress and taken to prison. What does her fate reveal about life under Taliban rule?
The Taliban enforces its dress code as a 'divine command.' What is the true cost of their war on women for Afghanistan's future?
Amidst the crackdown, how are secret schools becoming the last hope for a lost generation of Afghan girls and women?
Herat Under Siege: Taliban Arrests, Violent Protest Suppression, and the Systematic Erasure of Afghan Women in 2026
Overview
In late May and early June 2026, Herat saw a major crackdown after imams, following orders from the vice and virtue ministry, announced that women could not leave home without wearing the hijab. This led to multiple arrests of women for dress code violations, sparking a public protest of over 100 people on June 2nd. Security forces violently dispersed the protest, with armed police opening fire and injuring at least three people. The U.N. mission raised serious human rights concerns, highlighting the growing repression and fear faced by women and the community in Herat.