'Bad hijab' arrests: Afghan girls accuse Taliban of sexual assault
What's the story
Teenage girls and young women in Afghanistan have leveled accusations of sexual violence and assault against the Taliban following their arrests for wearing "bad hijab."
The Afghan news service, Zan Times, reported that these alleged incidents have led to suicide and attempted suicide in some cases.
A woman's body was reportedly found in a canal after she had been taken into custody by Taliban militants, with sources close to her family alleging she had been sexually abused before her death.
Detentions
UN reports numerous 'bad hijab' detentions by Taliban
The United Nations reported that numerous women were detained by the Taliban for "bad hijab" in December 2023 and January 2024.
This followed a Taliban decree that women must cover themselves from head to toe, revealing only their eyes.
The UN had previously expressed concern over these arrests, with women recounting experiences of beatings and intimidation while in detention.
Testimonies
Victims share harrowing experiences of Taliban detention
Among the victims is 16-year-old Zahra, who was arrested in a shop in west Kabul in December 2023.
Zahra's mother, Somaia, revealed that her daughter was detained for two weeks before being released.
Upon her return home, Zahra was reportedly traumatized, refusing to eat or talk and spent most of her time crying.
Amina, a 22-year-old medical student arrested in January 2024, shared her experience of spending three nights in a Taliban prison where she alleges she was sexually harassed.
Tragedies
Detention trauma leads to suicides, alleges victims' families
The trauma experienced in detention reportedly led to Zahra's suicide, with her mother finding her hanged in the middle of the night.
Another case involved Marina Sadat, a 23-year-old university student arrested by the Taliban in December 2023.
Sadat's body was later found in a canal, with reports indicating she had been sexually abused prior to her death.
These incidents highlight the severe mental and physical toll of these detentions on Afghan women.
Denial
Taliban denies allegations amid upcoming UN conference
In response to these allegations, a Taliban spokesman denied any arrests over "bad hijab" and stated that rape is not possible in their detention facilities due to the presence of multiple people.
These reports of sexual violence and assault against women and girls in detention come as the Taliban are expected to attend a UN conference on Afghanistan on June 30.
Notably, no Afghan women will participate in this conference, and women's rights will not be discussed.