At least 52 women and one girl were taken into custody or detained in the Afghan cities of Herat and Kabul between July and September 2026, according to a report released on Thursday by the United Nations. The arrests are part of a broader crackdown by Taliban authorities on women suspected of violating strict dress code regulations.
The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) stated that the detained individuals were held for offenses including failing to wear a chador, an all-enveloping cloak-like garment; displaying visible hair; wearing colorful scarves or makeup; or appearing in public without a mahram, or male guardian.
While the mission noted that the women were generally released after several hours in custody, it warned that the actual number of detentions is likely higher due to significant underreporting. UNAMA expressed grave concern over the pattern of arrests, detentions, and threats, describing them as violations of the fundamental rights to freedom of movement, expression, and autonomy for women and girls.
The report highlighted that these detentions also expose women to severe social stigma within traditional Afghan society. This issue gained international attention in June when Afghan security forces opened fire on a rare protest in Herat regarding the arrests. Witnesses and the UN reported that at least one person was killed and several others injured during the incident.
Since reclaiming power in 2021 following the withdrawal of US-led forces, the Taliban has enforced a series of harsh restrictions on women. These include bans on secondary and higher education for girls and mandates requiring women to wear a full hijab in public, comprising a headscarf, a long body-covering robe, and a face veil. The Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice is responsible for enforcing these rules.
Earlier this week, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued four arrest warrants for senior Taliban officials. The warrants accuse the leaders of committing crimes against humanity through the systematic denial of rights to Afghan women and girls. However, the Taliban government rejected the ICC’s decision, labeling it a politically motivated infringement on Afghanistan’s sovereignty.
The underreporting warning is key here. Fifty-two arrests sound like a lot, but it likely represents only a fraction of the actual suffering.
This systematic oppression is horrifying. The ICC warrants are a crucial step, but will they actually lead to change?