Afghanistan’s minister for the promotion of virtue and prevention of vice on Monday defended the Taliban’s crackdown on women’s dress code violations in the western city of Herat, saying the measures were intended to protect “dignity” and rejecting criticism of the policy as propaganda.
Speaking at a press conference in Herat, PVPV Minister Mohammad Khalid Hanafi said conditions in the city were normal and denied allegations of mistreatment.
“Everything is fine in Herat,” Hanafi said.
“There is no oppression or barbarism here, and the rights of our sisters are protected.”
The remarks came after dozens of women were detained by Taliban morality police in early June for allegedly violating official clothing rules, including failing to wear the body-covering chador or burqa. Among those detained was a hospital employee working with Doctors Without Borders (MSF), which condemned the incident.
The United Nations said a rare protest against the restrictions was forcibly dispersed, leaving at least two people dead.
Under Taliban rules, women across Afghanistan are required to cover most of their bodies when outside their homes. Many women wear long abaya-style robes, headscarves and face coverings, though authorities have specifically promoted the use of the burqa or chador.
Hanafi said critics of the policy were spreading false information, accusing “enemies” of attempting to damage Afghanistan’s image. He insisted that the Taliban’s measures were aimed at maintaining social values and protecting women’s dignity.
