KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Taliban authorities publicly flogged a man in northern Balkh province, sentencing him to 39 lashes on charges of “sodomy,” following a similar case days earlier in Sar-e-Pol province.
The Taliban’s Supreme Court in a statement confirmed the flogging took place in the Dehdadi district. This punishment followed another incident where a woman in Sar-e-Pol was flogged 39 times and sentenced to six months in prison on charges of “adultery.”
These incidents reflect a growing trend of corporal punishment under the Taliban since they seized power in 2021. The group has increasingly used public lashings and executions, often in front of large crowds, as part of its strict interpretation of Sharia law.
Human rights organizations and the international community have condemned these practices. The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has urged the Taliban to end all forms of corporal punishment, emphasizing the need for proper legal representation for those accused.
In June, the Taliban flogged at least 63 people, including 15 women, in a Sar-e-Pol stadium for alleged crimes such as “running away from home” and “moral offenses.” In May, eight individuals, including four women, were flogged in Ghor province for similar charges.
Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Afghanistan, condemned the public floggings, urging the Taliban to stop the practice immediately. He emphasized that these actions violate Afghanistan’s obligations under international law, including prohibitions on torture and inhumane treatment.
