Taliban morality police arbitrarily detained hundreds of people and subjected dozens to ill-treatment between July and September, according to a report released by the United Nations mission in Afghanistan on Thursday. The Taliban have rejected the allegations. The findings, published in the mission’s quarterly human rights update, add to long-standing concerns about the enforcement of strict moral codes in Afghanistan since the group returned to power in 2021.
What the UNAMA Report Documents
The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said it documented 443 arbitrary arrests and detentions and 97 cases of ill-treatment carried out by morality police during the three-month period, Reuters reported. The mission linked the incidents to alleged violations of rules on women’s dress, restrictions on beards and hairstyles, compulsory attendance at prayers and bans on music.
According to coverage of the report by Afghan outlets, UNAMA recorded more than 50 cases in which women were arrested, detained or formally cautioned over alleged breaches of hijab rules. One documented case involved the detention of a 13-year-old girl accused of failing to comply with those requirements. In another incident, on July 10 in the city of Herat, morality police reportedly detained 10 women who were not wearing chadors. Local reporting on the UN findings also cited the suspension of about 100 shops in Nangarhar province after shopkeepers failed to attend congregational prayers.
Concerns Over Former Security Force Members
The report also addressed the treatment of people linked to the previous government. UNAMA recorded four killings and 14 arbitrary detentions involving former security force members during the quarter, despite a general amnesty announced after the Taliban takeover in 2021. The mission has repeatedly called on the authorities to honor that amnesty, which it says has not prevented reprisals in practice.
The Taliban Response
Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid rejected the findings. He said the detentions were lawful and accused UNAMA of conducting propaganda against the government, according to Reuters. The Taliban have previously defended their policies as consistent with Islamic law and Afghan custom, and have dismissed outside criticism as interference.
The competing accounts are difficult to reconcile independently. Access for monitors and journalists in Afghanistan is limited, and UNAMA’s figures reflect only the cases it was able to document and verify, which means the true number of incidents may differ.
Wider Restrictions on Women, Media and Civilians
When the Taliban returned to power amid the withdrawal of the United States and its allies, they promised to govern more liberally than they had during their earlier rule in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Human rights groups say those assurances quickly faltered, pointing to sweeping restrictions on women and girls.
The latest UNAMA report touches on several other concerns. It noted the suspension of several media outlets during the quarter and said Afghan women remain barred from UN premises, a restriction that affects the organization’s ability to work with female staff and beneficiaries. It also recorded 13 civilians killed and 20 injured in cross-border incidents during the same period.
Why Enforcement by Taliban Morality Police Draws Scrutiny
The enforcement of moral codes by Taliban morality police has become one of the most visible points of friction between the authorities and the international community. Rights advocates argue that vaguely defined rules, combined with limited judicial oversight, leave room for arbitrary arrest. UNAMA’s findings reinforce that concern by describing detentions that targeted everyday conduct, from clothing and grooming to the playing of music.
For ordinary Afghans, particularly women, the practical effect is a narrowing of public life. The documented cases suggest that enforcement is not confined to a single region, with incidents recorded in locations ranging from Herat in the west to Nangarhar in the east.
Outlook
The report is likely to intensify pressure on the Taliban authorities from the United Nations and from governments that have conditioned engagement on improvements in human rights. Whether that pressure produces any change is uncertain. The Taliban have shown little inclination to alter their policies in response to external criticism, and Mujahid’s rejection of the findings points to continued disagreement between Kabul and the UN mission over what is happening on the ground.
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