A rare protest took place on June 9, 2026, in Herat, Afghanistan, against the detention of women accused of violating Taliban-enforced Islamic dress codes [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. About 70 demonstrators, mostly men, gathered to oppose the arrests and restrictions, chanting slogans such as "Education, work, freedom" and "Azadi" (freedom in Dari) [1, 2, 3, 4].
The protest was sparked by the detention of more than a dozen women three days earlier for perceived violations of strict hijab rules [2, 4, 5]. Witnesses said Taliban police used force to disperse the crowd, employing sticks, whips and allegedly live gunfire [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. Two protesters were reportedly killed, and at least three others injured according to medics and eyewitnesses [1, 2, 5].
An anonymous 33-year-old protester described the crackdown, saying security forces "used sticks, whips and firearms to disperse the crowd. They even fired shots into the air" [1, 4]. Photographers on scene also reported seeing injured people during dispersal [1, 3, 4].
Taliban police denied firing live rounds or causing deaths, saying forces acted to maintain public order and prevent tensions. Sayed Masoud Hosseini, spokesperson for Herat Police Command, said the protesters "acted in a manner that disturbed public order... trying to create tension under the pretext of protesting issues related to the observance of hijab" [1, 3, 4].
The incident sparked condemnation from human rights observers. Richard Bennett, UN Special Rapporteur on Afghanistan, said he was "alarmed by excessive use of force against seemingly peaceful protesters in Herat today" [1, 3, 4]. Fereshta Abassi of Human Rights Watch said people "are angry... they see the Taliban as interfering in people’s privacy, which is unacceptable" [2].
At least 13 protesters were detained following the rally, authorities said [2]. The protest marked a rare public display of dissent, focusing on women's rights and freedoms under Taliban rule.
The crackdown on June 9 followed days of heightened tensions after the morality police detained women for dress code violations on June 6, setting the stage for unrest [2, 4, 5]. Authorities have yet to provide further details on investigations or any charges against those detained post-protest.
