Taliban Arrest, Lash Girls For Violating 'Hijab Rules' In Afghanistan

In Kabul, girls as young as 16 have been arrested for violating strict hijab regulations imposed by Taliban. se olescents were detained in different public settings such as shopping centers, educational institutions, and street markets, on charges of purportedly vocating and endorsing use of 'b hijab' and makeup.

According to a report from Guardian, a 16-year-old girl named Lale (name changed to protect her identity) narrated her arrest while attending an English language class.

She detailed instances where girls who resisted were subjected to beatings, and she personally experienced lashes on her feet and legs when attempting to engage in dialogue with Taliban. Subsequently, her far faced severe beatings for what was perceived as "raising immoral girls."

Lale underwent a two-day and two-night detention, during which Taliban continuously branded m as infidels for pursuing study of English and harboring aspirations to travel abro.

Her release occurred following intervention of community elders, and she was required to sign a document pledging not to venture outside her home without a he-covering. Consequently, she has been prohibited from attending her English classes, as reported.

Lale expressed her hopelessness, saying, "I was barred from school when Taliban took over in 2021 and now I cannot even go to my private classes." 

"I can no longer imagine anything for my future or than staying home and getting married," she ded.

Fereshta Abbasi, a researcher at Human Rights Watch, remarked on situation, stating, " arrests of women in Afghanistan are a furr crackdown on basic rights of women and can be intimidating and put more pressure even on women who are still working in health, primary education, and nutrition sectors, and y would not appear in public as y used to."

In a video circulated on social media on Wednesday, Jan 10 Ehsanullah Saqib, a Taliban security official, spoke to a garing of religious scholars in Kabul's Dasht-e-Barchi neighborhood. He disclosed that “with assistance of women police, we have arrested several women and girls who were not wearing hijab in past week.”

Since Taliban's resurgence to power in August 2021, y have implemented a strict interpretation of Islamic law, significantly impacting women. se laws, labeled as "gender aparid" by United Nations have led to women being largely excluded from public life, requiring a male relative to accompany m during travel and mandating covering of all but ir hands and eyes when outside. Despite se regulations, it is not uncommon to observe women in Kabul who do not cover ir mouths.

In a video captured by a local media outlet, Ehsanullah, during his speech stated that females were detained for being "totally without hijab" and for wearing trousers, leggings and dresses inste of fully covering garments. He clarified rationale behind se arrests, explaining that y were me to alert ir families about women roaming without hijab and to encourage preventive measures.