Taliban accused of demanding payment to release detained woman in Herat

A father in Herat has accused Taliban morality police of demanding money and guarantors for the release of his daughter. The man reported that his daughter and several other women were detained while shopping in the Jebrail area, despite her wearing a long coat and the required hijab.

The father stated that officials from the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice initially demanded 30,000 afghanis (approximately $450) and two guarantors. After negotiations, the amount was reduced to 20,000 afghanis. He noted that some families were unable to meet these financial demands, resulting in women being held in custody for several days. While his daughter reported no physical beatings, she described being subjected to intimidation.

Saif-ul-Islam Khyber, a spokesperson for the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, rejected the allegations. Khyber maintained that the ministry works to address issues facing women and noted that morality enforcers had resolved 107 cases involving women over the past month.