A Taliban Official Confirms Arrests of Women and Girls in Afghanistan Under the Pretext of 'Improper Hijab'

The spokesperson for the Taliban's Ministry of Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice announced on Thursday the arrest of several women in the capital of Afghanistan due to what has been termed 'improper hijab.' This marks the first official confirmation of the crackdown on women in Afghanistan for not adhering to the Taliban's dress code since the group regained power. According to the Associated Press, Abdul Ghafar Farooq claimed that his organization had received complaints about 'improper hijab' for over two years and had advised women to adhere to Islamic dress, but ultimately female police officers arrested a limited number of offenders. He stated that these women were arrested three days ago but did not specify the exact number or provide a clear definition of 'improper hijab' that led to the arrests. Earlier on Wednesday, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) expressed concern over the arrests of women and girls under the pretext of hijab and called for an end to this trend. The Afghan Women's Political Participation Network also issued a statement strongly criticizing the arrests of girls in the capital's streets, stating that the situation in Kabul has severely deteriorated and that the Taliban are 'brutally taking girls away under the pretext of improper hijab.' This development is the latest blow to the civil rights of women and girls in Afghanistan, who suffer from discrimination in 'prohibition of education,' 'employment,' and 'access to public spaces.' These arrests come less than a week after the United Nations Security Council called for the appointment of a special representative to engage with the Taliban, particularly regarding gender issues and human rights. A U.S. State Department spokesperson expressed support for the appointment of a special representative for Afghanistan and stated that Washington remains concerned about the 'repressive decrees of the Taliban against women and girls and their unwillingness to strengthen an inclusive government.' Matthew Miller also added that these decisions inflict irreparable harm on Afghan society and move the Taliban further away from normalizing relations with the global community. After regaining power in Afghanistan in the summer of 2021, the Taliban changed the Ministry of Women's Affairs to the Ministry of 'Invitation, Guidance, Promotion of Virtue, and Prevention of Vice.'