UN Reacts to Arrests and Fatalities in Afghan Protests

The United Nations expressed deep concern over the detention of numerous women in Afghanistan. They also reported the death of two individuals during protests held in support of these women.

In Herat, one of Afghanistan’s larger cities, recent protests acted as a rare public challenge against the Taliban’s stringent policies on women. On Friday, authorities implemented extensive security measures in response to these demonstrations.

Local media and online sources indicated that protesters marched towards a government building in Herat, holding signs and chanting, ‘Women, Work and Freedom!’ However, it has not been possible to independently verify these videos.

The protests on Friday were a continuation of demonstrations that occurred on Tuesday. These earlier protests resulted in two fatalities, including a boy, and left at least 20 people injured, according to information from the United Nations.

Sayed Masoud Hussaini, a police spokesperson in Herat, refuted claims of arrests or injuries among the demonstrators, whom he referred to as ‘agitators.’ This statement contradicts witness testimony and the reports from the United Nations.

During Tuesday’s events, dozens of men and women convened in a Herat public square. They masked their faces with scarves and masks while chanting for ‘education, work and freedom.’

Herat is distinguished by a history of social liberalism compared to other regions of Afghanistan. It hosts a significant number of Afghanistan’s Hazara minority and Afghan refugees who were displaced from Iran the previous year. Their rallying cries drew inspiration from the ‘Woman, life, freedom’ protests in Iran back in 2022.