Two killed after Taliban opens fire on protest against women violating dress code

Two people are dead after a protest against the arrests of women for alleged dress code violations in Afghanistan. Dozens of women were arrested in the city of Herat for not wearing the body-cloaking chador or burqa. The actions of police in detaining women and cracking down on the protest have been condemned by the UN. Link copiedShareShare articleAt least two people have been killed during a Taliban crackdown on a protest in Afghanistan against the arrests of women for allegedly violating dress code regulations. Eyewitnesses said they saw Taliban police open fire during a demonstration attended by about 100 to 150 people against the arrests of women over the weekend in Herat, a city in western Afghanistan. Herat's morality police started arresting dozens of women last Saturday for not wearing the body-cloaking chador or burqa, leading to the protest earlier this week. Internet and mobile services have been cut across the country, a move human rights groups say will severely impact women and girls in particular. Police have denied that any weapons were used. In a statement, 10 independent experts appointed by the UN Human Rights Council said at least two people were killed, including a boy who was shot. More than 20 were wounded, some of whom were beaten with sticks. "Allegations that women were detained for dress code violations are deeply concerning and may constitute arbitrary and unlawful detention, as it appears to penalise the exercise of their right to freedom of expression and right to be free from gender discrimination," the experts' statement said. "Equality, peaceful assembly, freedom of expression and movement, and protection from arbitrary detention are fundamental rights." The Afghan dress code is governed by the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice (PVPV), which says women must be almost entirely covered when they leave home. Many women wear a flowing abaya robe, a headscarf and a face covering, rather than a chador or burqa. The Afghan dress code says women must be almost entirely covered when they leave home. (AP: Ebrahim Noroozi) Protests are rare in Afghanistan, which has been run by the Taliban since 2021 in the wake of the chaotic withdrawal of US-led forces. The government has since imposed rules governed by a strict interpretation of Islamic law, or Shariah. Dissent is not tolerated and protests against government decisions are illegal. Dozens of ministers and scholars from Muslim-majority countries attended the summit on girls' education in Pakistan. The regulations include draconian restrictions on women and girls, including bans on education beyond primary school and what women can wear. The rules stipulate that women can only go out in public when wearing full hijab — which includes a headscarf and a long robe covering the entire body — as well as a face covering that leaves only the eyes visible. The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said at last 30 women were arrested in Herat last weekend. "Dozens more women reportedly received verbal warnings," it said in a statement. "While the women were released on June 8, the impact of such arbitrary arrests and detentions on women and their families is profound." UNAMA called on authorities to rescind policies that restrict the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan, and stressed that law enforcement "must comply with international legal standards". "Individuals have the right to express dissent peacefully without fear of violence, intimidation or reprisals," it said. The Taliban has extended restrictions on Afghan women's voices by banning them from praying aloud or reciting the Koran in front of other women. Herat police command spokesperson Sayed Masoud Hosseini said in a statement that the authority "takes a serious, Shariah, and principled approach to any action that disrupts public security". He said "rioters" had gathered on Tuesday "under the pretext of protesting issues related to the observance of the hijab and opposition to the Islamic hijab, and acted to disrupt public order". The presence of security forces "brought the situation under control in the shortest possible time", Mr Hossein said. "The Herat Provincial Security Command once again emphasises that individual and social freedoms must be implemented within the framework of Shariah law and social values, and any behaviour or action that disrupts public security, creates tension, and disrupts public order is unacceptable," he said. On Monday, the day before the protest, the vice and virtue ministry dismissed the reports of arrests and detentions of women. "The issues being spread about women being arrested in Herat are all rumours," it said in a statement, adding that wearing the "hijab is a divine command, a law that we are obliged to implement". The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan said 30 women were arrested in Herat for dress code violations. (AP: Felipe Dana) Georgette Gagnon

Two killed after Taliban opens fire on protest against women violating dress code

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Two killed after Taliban opens fire on protest against women violating dress code

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