Taliban security forces reportedly used violent measures, including live ammunition to disperse a rare public demonstration staged in support of women’s rights in the western city of Herat on Tuesday.
The protest erupted following a sweeping crackdown by the Taliban government’s morality police three days prior, during which several local women were detained for allegedly violating mandatory Islamic dress codes, specifically for not wearing the Chador or Burqa.
According to accounts gathered by international news agency AFP, dozens of men had gathered at the site after mobilizing via social media networks with calls to “defend the rights of our sisters”.
However, eyewitnesses stated that the peaceful rally in support of women was met with immediate and harsh resistance from the authorities.
“The security forces used sticks, whips, and firearms to disperse the crowd. They even fired shots into the air,” a 33-year-old protester told AFP under anonymity due to severe safety concerns.
A photojournalist present at the scene corroborated the severity of the crackdown, testifying that he witnessed security personnel striking demonstrators and discharging weapons directly toward the gathering. The photographer confirmed that a significant number of individuals sustained injuries during the incident.
In an official statement, the Herat Police Department strongly denied the use of weapons or excessive force, claiming instead that their intervention was necessary to maintain public order.
Herat Police Spokesman, Saeed Masoud Hussaini, accused the demonstrators of attempting to create public tension under the pretext of protesting issues related to the hijab dress code.
“Thanks to the timely presence of security forces, the situation was brought fully under control, and further escalation of tensions was prevented,” Hussaini stated.
The violent suppression of the rally has drawn immediate condemnation from international human rights observers. Richard Bennett, the United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Afghanistan, expressed deep concern over the safety of the protesters.
Writing on social media platform X, Bennett stated he was “alarmed by (the) excessive use of force against seemingly peaceful protesters in Herat.”
Public demonstrations advocating for civil liberties remain exceptionally rare in Afghanistan since the Taliban administration assumed power in August 2021 and instituted a strict interpretation of Islamic law.
Under regulations enforced by the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, women are legally required to be almost completely covered in public including wearing an Abaya, a headscarf and a face covering.
The ministry has so far declined to comment on the detentions that triggered the protest. -AFP
