The Taliban’s Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice has denied reports that women were arrested in Herat for not wearing a chador or burqa. Saif-ul-Islam Khyber, a spokesperson for the ministry, said in an audio recording on Tuesday, June 9, that the reports were untrue. He described them as a biased act by certain circles, media outlets, and organizations. Meanwhile, Azizur Rahman Mohajir, the head of the ministry in Herat, also claimed that no woman has been arrested for non-compliance with hijab regulations, and that the department’s activities have been limited to advice and awareness-building. This follows reports published in recent days of the arrest of a number of women in Herat, which have drawn international reactions. Residents of Herat held a protest rally today against these events, but Taliban forces opened fire on protesters minutes after the gathering began, wounding several people. A number of women in Herat have said that the Taliban’s action indicates the group’s opposition to freedom of expression and the defense of women’s rights.
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