Taliban police used force to disperse a protest in the city of Herat on Tuesday, following the reported detention of women accused of violating dress codes. Medics told the BBC that two people died during the event, though they did not state the cause of death. Several other participants were reported injured.
The demonstration followed reports that local Taliban officials began arresting women on Friday and Saturday for allegedly wearing the hijab improperly. Witnesses reported that officers from the Ministry for Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice had been inspecting vehicles and rickshaws to enforce these dress requirements. While the Herat Provincial Information and Culture Department denied reports of dozens of arrests, witnesses claimed to have seen women being detained since Saturday.
Protesters and witnesses alleged that security forces used live ammunition, sticks, and whips to break up the crowd. One witness told AFP that shots were fired into the air and toward the crowd, leading to injuries and widespread fear. Video footage reviewed by the BBC Afghan service captured the sound of gunfire and protesters chanting "education, work, freedom." Herat police spokesperson Sayed Masoud Hosseini stated that officers took action to maintain public order against protesters who he said were disturbing the peace and opposing religious obligations.
The use of force sets a precedent for how the Taliban administration handles public dissent, which has been rare since they took power in August 2021. Previous attempts by women to protest rules regarding education and attire resulted in reports of jail time, beatings, and threats. Richard Bennett, the United Nations' special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan, stated that those responsible for what he described as excessive force must be held accountable.
What happens next remains uncertain as city officials and police continue to offer conflicting accounts of the number of detainees and the methods used by security forces. While police denied any deaths occurred, they confirmed that action was taken to ensure security. Further international response may follow the statement from the UN special rapporteur, though no specific dates for investigations or policy reviews were reported.