The Taliban has arrested dozens of girls and women based on “improper veiling” across Kabul, the capital city of Afghanistan in the last one week. These detentions were made mostly in Dasht-e-Barchi and Pul-e-Surkh areas in Kabul and most recently in Jaghori district of Ghazni province.
These arrests made upon instructions by the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice across the city, including provinces and the target are mainly those girls that are going to English language courses as the Taliban already banned girls above sixth grade from going to schools.
The families of these girls expressed deep concern about the persisting arrests by the Taliban and already some of the students have been prevented from going to courses by their families to avoid any arrest.
Some of the female students even in religious schools had said that their parents prohibited them from leaving homes and they also lost the last hope of studying.
In the first act after taking power on 15 August 2021, the Taliban stopped girls over sixth grade from going to schools later followed by stopping female university students. The worst yet to come as women were also banned from going out without male partner and also from going to the parks and women’s bath. They were also banned from working outside, even from foreign agencies including the UN, and others.
Families worried about recent wave of arrests by the Taliban
The Afghan women took to the streets against the Taliban decision and they chanted the slogans “freedom, human rights, and job.” But these protests have ended with no result; rather a large number of women civil right activists were arrested and some of them even remain in custody for months.
As these women and girls have been subjected to physical and psychological tortures, now the families are more worried about the recent wave of arrests by the Taliban and fear their daughters will go through similar situations.
Speaking to Harici, Ahmad Jawad, a Kabul resident, said that he fears that his daughter will be arrested and sent to the Talian jail. “It is a dishonor for my daughter and also to our all-family members to see her in custody without having committed any crime,” Jawad said. He instructed her daughter to stay at home and stop going out for some time.
Sadai Yousufi, an Afghan woman, said that the arrest of any girls by the Taliban will damage their reputation and dignity among the relatives. “We are living in a conservative society and this is a big shame for any family whose daughter or sister go to the police station even for a few minutes,” she added.
Arrest of any girls will bring shame to their families
She has three daughters and the eldest one is 19 years old. “I told all my daughters to stay at home for some while and they are not going to English course since Sunday.” Friday is a holiday in Afghanistan and the official day starts from Saturday.
Some teachers from educational centers said girl’s students have declined significantly after the Taliban arrested a number of them over alleged improper clouting.
One of the female students, Alima said that her classmates were arrested either on their way to educational centers or returning home. “Me and my brother are going to English courses together and I have been wearing Hijab for many years so that could be the reason that the Taliban didn’t stop me so far,” Alima told Harici.
Female students have significantly declined
Alima said that many of her classmates are no longer attending class. “It’s better to wear a proper Hijab instead of not coming to educational centers. Our education is more important than what we wear. Putting on a Hijab is not too difficult. Nothing should stop us from pursuing knowledge,” she added.
Another female student said that she is not allowed by her family to go to English courses. Speaking to Harici on condition of anonymity, she said that her father, elder brother and uncle strongly opposed her leaving home as Taliban continue arresting girls over Hijab controversy.
“I am not even allowed to go to the religious school. This is the most difficult time for us. We are not supposed to stay at home. We are going through tough times,” she added.
Taliban asked to release the girls immediately
Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Afghanistan has strongly condemned the arrest of girls by the Taliban and asked for their immediate release.
“Recent arrest of women in Kabul, Afghanistan for (bad hijab), confirmed by the Taliban, regrettably signifies further restrictions on women’s freedom of expression and undermines other rights. They should all be released immediately and without conditions,” Bennett added.
The Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid had confirmed the arrest of some women in Kabul but called it a temporary detention. “Some women have been taken to the relevant areas and they were released after advising them to wear a proper hijab. They were released after one or two hours, it was not like they spent a day in custody,” according to him.
