Taliban crackdown on women's dress code sparks rare protests in Herat, Afghanistan, leaving at least two dead

Jun 9, 2026

A Taliban crackdown on women's dress codes in Herat, Afghanistan, sparked a rare protest that was met with deadly force. At least two people were killed after security forces fired on demonstrators protesting the arrest of at least 30 women for "improper hijab." The UN confirmed one fatality was a boy. The Taliban's morality police are enforcing new rules requiring women to cover "every inch" of their bodies.

Herat dress code crackdown

▪The UN mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) confirmed at least 30 women were arrested in Herat on June 7-8, 2026, for alleged dress code violations.
▪A new Taliban directive in Herat province requires women to cover "every inch" of their bodies, including hands with gloves and feet with socks.

Women's rights protests

▪Protesters chanted slogans including "Education, work, freedom" and "Azadi" (freedom).
▪A protest against the arrests, involving 70 to 150 men and women, took place in Herat on Tuesday, June 10, 2026.

Taliban use of force

▪Several other people were injured, some from being beaten with sticks by security forces.
▪At least two people were killed during the protest crackdown in Herat.
▪The UN confirmed one of the fatalities was a boy killed by gunfire and was verifying reports of a second death.
▪Taliban security forces used live fire, sticks, and whips to disperse the protest.

Morality police enforcement

▪The dress code is enforced by the Taliban's Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, also known as the morality police.
▪A Herat police spokesperson, Sayed Masoud Hosseini, described the protesters as "rioters" who "acted to disrupt public order."
▪The Taliban's vice and virtue ministry dismissed initial reports of arrests and unrest as "all rumours."

EU migration talks

▪Human Rights Watch urged the European Commission to cancel proposed talks with the Taliban in Brussels regarding the deportation of Afghan migrants.
▪European officials said the planned talks would focus only on technical migration issues and do not amount to recognizing the Taliban regime.

Women's public space restrictions

▪The Taliban made wearing a hijab mandatory for women in May 2022.
▪Since returning to power in August 2021, the Taliban have barred women from most public life, including secondary schools, universities, and many jobs.