DAccording to the United Nations, the Taliban in Afghanistan have arrested “a large number of women and girls” in the past two weeks because their clothing did not meet the Islamists' expectations. Apparently the campaign is primarily directed against members of the Shiite Hazara minority. The United Nations Afghanistan Mission (UNAMA) is investigating relevant reports, it said in a statement. There are also reports of mistreatment of the women affected.

Journalist Harun Najafizada from the exile broadcaster Afghanistan International distributed photos of abrasions and bruises on alleged victims. According to UNAMA, there were also reports that the detained women were only released if a male relative provided a written guarantee that the women would comply with dress codes in the future. Otherwise they could face a penalty. In addition, those affected reported that monetary payments were demanded for their release. The UN agency and the UN special rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan, Richard Bennett, called for the women affected to be released immediately.

The so-called Ministry for Virtue and Against Vice had previously confirmed that several women had been arrested for allegedly un-Islamic clothing. Videos have been circulating on the Internet for days showing moral guards dragging women onto flatbed trucks. Attacks against passers-by were mainly reported in districts of Kabul where many Hazaras live. Those affected told local media such as the Khaama website that the campaign was spreading fear and terror in the capital.

According to reports, the moral guard patrols consisted of women dressed in black and wearing sunglasses who were instructed by men. Anyone who tries to film them runs the risk of having their cell phone confiscated. The description is similar to the actions of the moral watchdogs in Iran. Apparently there were also similar incidents in Daikundi Province. Many Hazaras also live there.

UNAMA head Roza Otunbayeva said the arbitrary detentions subjected the women to long-term stigma. In Afghanistan, women who have been in prison are often accused of promiscuity because they could be at risk of sexual assault. The campaign could also result in women being pushed further out of the public eye than before and at greater risk of domestic violence at home, the UNAMA statement said. Since coming to power in August 2021, the Taliban have massively restricted women and girls' access to education and work.