Two dead after Taliban opens fire on dress code violation protest

Two people are dead after a protest against the arrests of women for alleged dress code violations in Afghanistan.

Dozens of women were arrested in the city of Herat for not wearing the body-cloaking chador or burqa.

The actions of police in detaining women and cracking down on the protest have been condemned by the UN.

At least two people have been killed during a Taliban crackdown on a protest in Afghanistan against the arrests of women for allegedly violating dress code regulations.

Eyewitnesses said they saw Taliban police open fire during a demonstration attended by about 100 to 150 people against the arrests of women over the weekend in Herat, a city in western Afghanistan.

Herat's morality police started arresting dozens of women last Saturday for not wearing the body-cloaking chador or burqa, leading to the protest earlier this week.

Internet and mobile services have been cut across the country, a move human rights groups say will severely impact women and girls in particular.

In a statement, 10 independent experts appointed by the UN Human Rights Council said at least two people were killed, including a boy who was shot. More than 20 were wounded, some of whom were beaten with sticks.

"Allegations that women were detained for dress code violations are deeply concerning and may constitute arbitrary and unlawful detention, as it appears to penalise the exercise of their right to freedom of expression and right to be free from gender discrimination," the experts' statement said.

"Equality, peaceful assembly, freedom of expression and movement, and protection from arbitrary detention are fundamental rights."

The Afghan dress code is governed by the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice (PVPV), which says women must be almost entirely covered when they leave home.

Many women wear a flowing abaya robe, a headscarf and a face covering, rather than a chador or burqa.

The Afghan dress code says women must be almost entirely covered when they leave home. (AP: Ebrahim Noroozi)

Protests are rare in Afghanistan, which has been run by the Taliban since 2021 in the wake of the chaotic withdrawal of US-led forces.

The government has since imposed rules governed by a strict interpretation of Islamic law, or Shariah.

Dissent is not tolerated and protests against government decisions are illegal.

Dozens of ministers and scholars from Muslim-majority countries attended the summit on girls' education in Pakistan.

The regulations include draconian restrictions on women and girls, including bans on education beyond primary