Taliban officials in Afghanistan cracked down on protests over women’s dress code violations on Tuesday, with multiple witnesses reporting gunfire.
Between 100 and 150 Afghan men reportedly gathered in the western city of Herat to show their solidarity with more than a dozen women who were arrested last week for going out in public without a full chador or face-covering burqa.
But security forces dispersed the protests using “batons, whips and firearms”, a witness told the AFP news agency, adding: “They even fired shots into the air.”
Another witness also reported seeing bullets in the air and said, “Some people were injured. I saw blood on the road.”
It is unclear whether the injuries were caused by gunfire or other use of force, as is the exact number of those injured.
A photographer at the rally told AFP that he saw security forces “attacking protesters and firing weapons in the direction of the crowd,” adding: “A large number of people were injured.”
A Herat police spokesperson said that people attempted to gather and create tension under the pretext of protesting over issues related to adherence to the “hijab” dress code.
“Due to the timely presence of security forces, the situation was completely brought under control and further escalation of tension was prevented,” he said.
Afghanistan: protests under the Taliban
The protest was reportedly organized through social media where residents were called upon to “protect the rights of our sisters”.
Such civil action is rare in Afghanistan, where since the chaotic withdrawal of US-led forces in 2021, the Taliban have returned to power and imposed rules governed by a strict interpretation of Islamic law, or ShariatLaw.
These rules include harsh restrictions on women and girls, including bans on education beyond primary school and restrictions on what women can wear.
The rules are enforced by the Taliban’s feared “morality police” called the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice. Dissent is not tolerated and protests against government decisions are illegal.
“The stories being spread about the arrest of women in Herat are rumors,” a ministry statement said. It states that wearing the hijab is “a divine command, a law that we are obliged to enforce.”
Afghanistan: UN alerted by ‘excessive use of force’
However, a human rights monitor told the AP on Monday that they had confirmed at least 16 detentions in Herat since Friday over alleged non-compliance with dress requirements, including a pregnant woman.
Fareshta Abbasi, Afghanistan researcher for Human Rights Watch, said the Taliban’s “blatant use of lethal force … is deeply worrying” and expressed concern over the “arbitrary detention of women for so-called inappropriate clothing.”
He called on the Taliban to “immediately release all those detained for peaceful protests and provide health services to the injured.”
Richard Bennett, the UN investigator on human rights in Afghanistan, said he was “concerned by the excessive use of force against seemingly peaceful protesters in Herat today” and said those responsible for the violence must be held accountable.
“This is the time to de-escalate tensions, respect the freedom of expression of citizens, especially women and girls, and avoid further harm,” he said in a post on social media.
Edited by: Jennifer Cimino Gonzalez