Afghanistan: Force used against protest over women's arrests

Security forces in Herat, Afghanistan, intervened forcefully against a crowd protesting the detention of several women accused of violating dress code regulations. Eyewitnesses reported that police opened fire during the protest, resulting in injuries to at least three individuals. Reports suggest that at least 16 women have been detained since Friday in Herat for allegedly not adhering to the prescribed dress codes, with claims that a pregnant woman was among those arrested. In response, over 100 people gathered in the city to protest the detentions. Witnesses described police vehicles arriving at the protest site, followed by gunfire into the air. One witness, identified as Kakar, told the Associated Press that police confronted the demonstrators before firing again, stating, "I saw blood on the road." Another witness corroborated the report of three injuries. The United Nations has reacted to the events, with Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Afghanistan, expressing concern over what he described as "excessive force" used against "peaceful-looking protesters." Bennett called for accountability for those responsible. Meanwhile, the Taliban's Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice denied reports of women being detained, calling them "rumors." The ministry asserted that enforcing hijab is a "divine order" and a law that must be implemented. This incident occurs amidst increasing restrictions on women and girls in Afghanistan since the Taliban regained power in 2021, including bans on education beyond primary school and mandatory face coverings in public.

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I saw blood on the road.