Herat Developments Draw Concern From UN and MSF
The spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General has expressed concern over the recent situation in Herat, saying that the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) is on the front line of developments and is closely monitoring events.
Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, said that UNAMA personnel were on the front line of developments in Herat and described the situation as very concerning. He stressed that lethal force should never be used against peaceful demonstrators and added that the United Nations would continue to monitor the situation closely.
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has condemned the detention of one of its healthcare workers in Herat by the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, saying it is “deeply angered” by the incident.
In a statement, MSF said: “MSF is outraged by the arrest and detention of one of our employees as part of the enforcement of dress code requirements in Herat. This incident is not isolated. Women in Afghanistan already face severe restrictions on movement and access to public life, which have direct consequences on people’s access to care and the delivery of healthcare services across the country.”
Religious scholar Sediqullah Sediq said: “Women should be educated about the importance and virtues of the hijab so that they can observe it.”
Women’s rights activist Tafsir Siyah Poosh said: “Afghan women have always protected, and continue to protect, their hijab, dignity, and modesty. We call on the Islamic Emirate to respect women and their status while taking human dignity into consideration.”
Earlier, the governor of Herat rejected reports of women being detained and protesters being shot at, describing some of the circulated images as AI-generated.
