SOCIETY — June 22, 2026

Taliban Arrest Women in Herat for Dress Code Violations

Ministry officials confirmed more than nineteen women have been detained in recent weeks and pledged to continue the arrests while defending the policy as within the government's authority.

The Ehtebar Desk — originates with Afghanistan International2 min read

Taliban Arrest Women in Herat for Dress Code Violations
Image courtesy Afghanistan International

Taliban officials from the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice have arrested several women in Herat for not adhering to the required dress code. The detentions occurred in the Bagh-e Morad area as well as the First through Nineteenth Streets.

Those arrested were transported to an unknown location aboard coaster vehicles. The precise number of women detained during this incident is not known. The Taliban have not released an official statement addressing these particular arrests.

In the preceding weeks, the Taliban carried out dozens of arrests of women in Herat for dress code violations. Najibullah Ali stated on the twenty-seventh of Jawza that such arrests would continue and verified that more than nineteen women had been detained in Herat thus far.

Saif-ul-Islam Khyber said on the thirty-first of Jawza that setting rules for women's clothing is a prerogative of the government. He compared the measures to those in place in other countries around the world.

The ministry has affirmed its intention to proceed with enforcement actions. These operations target women whose attire does not conform to the standards established by the authorities.

The detentions highlight the Taliban's efforts to regulate public behavior and appearance in the regions they govern. Sources indicate that virtue and vice officials have been active in monitoring compliance in urban centers like Herat.

No information has been provided about the condition or release of the detained women.

Read the original reporting at Afghanistan International

Reliability assessment

Multiple independent outlets corroborate the core event of Taliban arrests of women in Herat for dress code/hijab violations in June 2026, including specific reports of over 19 or at least 30 women detained, aligning with the story's details and timeframe.

The source language mixes facts with framing or advocacy wording. Afghanistan International: "widespread reaction from international organizations and human rights activists" and "in response to widespread criticism and protests" frame the events with emphasis on global opposition, implying the arrests are controversial without neutral sourcing.

Independent web corroboration

A separate web search returned 8 matching reports. A selection:

Across the newsrooms

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Filed under

SocietyTaliban, Herat, Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, dress code, women's arrests

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