Taliban Arrest A Female Doctor in Herat Over Dress Code

Photo: Reuters via VOANews

Local sources in Herat province say that on Friday (October 3), forces of the Taliban’s Department for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice arrested a female doctor because of her dress code on the 64-meter road in the city of Herat.

One of the doctor’s relatives, who did not want to be named for security reasons, told Zan News: “The staff of the Department for the Promotion of Virtue first told her why part of her hair was visible. The doctor responded that this matter does not concern you. The Taliban left the area but returned half an hour later with a Ranger vehicle and arrested her. She is currently in prison.”

This incident comes as the Taliban have recently, as part of their restrictive policies against women, also arrested a number of female bloggers, civil activists, and other women active in social spheres.

Human rights activists say such actions by the Taliban are part of a targeted plan to systematically eliminate women from public life and silence their social presence.