Amnesty International Condemns Arrest of Women in Herat Over Taliban Dress Code
The South Asia regional office of Amnesty International has expressed concern over the arrest of several women in Herat province for allegedly “not adhering to the dress code” imposed by the Taliban administration. The organization described this as a continuation of the repression of women’s rights in Afghanistan.
On Monday, June 7, Amnesty International posted on the social media platform X that these actions are a reminder of the ongoing organized pressures against women and girls in the country—pressures that have been widely enforced since the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan.
Amnesty International emphasized that every woman has the right to decide what to wear, to move freely, and to participate in public life without fear or intimidation. The organization labeled the detention of women based on their clothing as a blatant violation of their fundamental rights.
The group called on the Taliban administration to immediately disclose the whereabouts of the detained women, guarantee their safe return, and halt actions targeting women over their clothing choices.
Furthermore, Amnesty International urged the international community to increase pressure on the Taliban to end what it termed the “systematic repression of women and girls” in Afghanistan.
For nearly five years, women and girls in Afghanistan have faced extensive restrictions in education, work, and social participation—restrictions condemned by human rights organizations as violations of the most basic human rights, with calls for accountability in this regard.
