The United Nations reports a Taliban crackdown intensified this year, with at least 443 Afghans detained between July and September over violations tied to hair, beards, and women’s dress codes, highlighting the morality policing now embedded in daily life.

In Herat, the city once known for cultural vibrancy, residents say policies have shifted public life toward fear and intimidation as these rules tighten.

Since reclaiming power in 2021, the Taliban have steadily curbed women’s rights, including bans on education beyond primary level, restrictions on employment, and stricter rules on movement and appearance in public.

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk describes Afghanistan as a graveyard for human rights, noting the sweeping impact of edicts on everyday life for women and girls.

The UN Human Rights Office warns of a deteriorating situation for ordinary Afghans, especially women and girls, with systematic discrimination affecting healthcare, civic participation, and freedom of movement and expression.

More than 50 arrests, detentions, or cautions involved women and girls for not complying with face-covering rules, including a 13-year-old girl detained for hijab non-compliance and a man detained because his daughter wasn’t wearing a burqa.

The crackdown extends to prohibiting activities like attending prayers and playing or listening to music, signaling a broad enforcement scope of the Taliban’s moral-policing rules.

A notable case saw two barbers detained for a month in August for trimming beards and giving customers Western-style haircuts, illustrating targeted enforcement of Western appearance norms.

The UN cites a pattern of psychological abuse used by Taliban authorities to enforce Sharia law, including women being dragged into vans and harassed by morality police.