UN: Afghan women face arrest for alleged dress code violation

At least 52 women and one girl were arrested or detained in the Afghan cities of Herat and Kabul between July and September of 2026, according to a statement released by the United Nations on Thursday.

"Women were detained for not wearing a chador [an all-enveloping, cloak-like garment], having visible hair, wearing colourful scarves or makeup, or being in public without a mahram [male chaperone]," the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said.

According to the mission, the detained women were released after being held for several hours. It also warned that the number of cases could be higher due to underreporting.

UNAMA said it was "gravely concerned" by the arrests, detentions, and threats of arrest.

The mission stated that the detentions violate women's and girls' rights to freedom of movement, expression, and autonomy. The detentions also expose them to severe social stigma in traditional Afghan society, UNAMA said.

In June, Afghan authorities opened fire on a rare protest in Herat over the arrests and detentions of women for alleged dress code violations. According to witnesses and the UN mission, at least one person was killed and several others were injured.

What restrictions do women in Afghanistan face?

Since seizing power in 2021 as US-led forces withdrew from Afghanistan, the Taliban government has imposed severe restrictions on women and girls, including banning them from attending school beyond the primary level and limiting what they can wear and where they can go.

In public, women must wear a full hijab, which includes a headscarf, a long robe that covers the body, and a face covering. The Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice enforces these rules.

Earlier this week, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued four arrest warrants for senior Taliban officials, accusing them of committing crimes against humanity by systematically depriving women and girls in Afghanistan of their rights.

Hovewer, the Taliban rejected the decision, calling it a politically motivated violation of Afghanistan's sovereignty.

Edited by: Karl Sexton