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Taliban opens fire on Afghan protesters demonstrating against arrest of women over dress code

From Jerusalem Post · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • The Taliban opened fire on protesters in Herat, Afghanistan, who were demonstrating against the arrest of women for alleged dress code violations.
  • Reports indicate that at least three people were wounded, with unconfirmed reports of a child and another person killed.
  • Human rights organizations and UN officials have condemned the excessive force and called for respect for freedom of expression, especially for women and girls.

Taliban forces reportedly opened fire on a group of protesters in Herat, Afghanistan, who had gathered to demonstrate against the arrest of women accused of violating the country's strict dress code. The incident, which occurred on Tuesday, has drawn condemnation from human rights organizations and UN officials.

hijab is a divine command, a law that we are obliged to implement

— Afghanistan’s Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice MinistryDismissing reports of arrests and asserting the necessity of enforcing the dress code.

According to eyewitnesses who spoke to the Associated Press, armed police fired on over 100 protesters. At least three individuals sustained injuries. Afghanistan International reported that one person was killed, though this information could not be independently verified. Amu TV also reported a child's death as a result of the attack on protesters.

Georgette Gagnon, acting head of the UN mission in Afghanistan, informed the UN Security Council that approximately 30 women had been detained by Taliban police for allegedly failing to adhere to the dress code. Among those detained in Herat is believed to be a pregnant woman. The Taliban's Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice dismissed reports of arrests as "rumors," asserting that the hijab is a "divine command" that they are obligated to enforce.

It’s time to defuse the tension, respect citizens’ freedom of expression, especially women and girls, and avoid further harm.

— Richard BennettUN special rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan, commenting on the situation.

Richard Bennett, the UN special rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan, expressed alarm over the "excessive use of force against seemingly peaceful protesters." He urged for de-escalation, respect for citizens' freedom of expression, particularly for women and girls, and the avoidance of further harm. Amnesty International called on the Taliban to cease unlawful force against peaceful protesters, release those arbitrarily detained, and uphold the rights of women and girls, describing the reported use of live fire as a "shocking escalation" of their assault on fundamental rights.

The Taliban’s reported use of live fire against protesters is shocking escalation of their ongoing assault on the rights to peaceful protest, freedom of expression, and women’s rights in Afghanistan. Those protesting peacefully should never be met with bullets and violence.

— Amnesty InternationalCondemning the Taliban's actions against protesters.
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Originally published by Jerusalem Post. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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