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Thursday, 13 August 2026dailybeirut.com
World
Two UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan human rights staff were arrested by Afghan General Directorate of Intelligence officers in Herat on Sunday evening, following completion of a report on women detained for alleged violations of Taliban dress rules.
Two staff members from the human rights unit of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) were detained in Herat city, the capital of Herat Province in western Afghanistan, according to Afghanistan International.
The arrests were carried out by officers from the Afghan General Directorate of Intelligence. They occurred on Sunday evening as the two UNAMA staff were leaving their office after concluding their workday.
Afghanistan International reported the incident citing informed sources. It stated that the two staff had recently compiled a report documenting the detention of women in Herat Province, allegedly for breaching Taliban-imposed dress regulations. The report was based in part on interviews conducted with several affected girls.
Afghanistan International submitted a written request to UNAMA seeking comment on reports of the arrests by General Directorate of Intelligence personnel. In its official response, UNAMA confirmed the detention of its two staff members.
The mission added that Afghan authorities have not informed it of any formal charges against the individuals. UNAMA also stated that it has been denied access to the detainees and that contact with them has been severed.
Afghan Justice Minister Abdul Hakim Sharai addressed the matter on Monday. He asserted that international organization staff are prohibited from photographing individuals without their explicit consent. Sharai emphasized that incidents of this nature would not go unobserved.
