KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Taliban authorities have publicly flogged a woman in Afghanistan’s northern Sar-e Pol province, accusing her of adultery.
The woman received 39 lashes in the Kohistan district, according to a statement from the Taliban’s supreme court released on Sunday, September 15. She was also sentenced to six months in prison.
This incident reflects a broader pattern of public corporal punishment under the Taliban’s rule since their return to power in 2021. The group has increasingly employed such measures, including lashings and executions, often carried out in front of large audiences.
The Taliban justify these actions under their extreme interpretation of Sharia law, despite widespread international condemnation. Human rights organizations argue that these punishments contravene international laws and violate human dignity.
The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) urged the Taliban to halt all forms of corporal punishment, including public flogging. They stress the importance of legal representation for those facing criminal charges.
In June, the Taliban publicly flogged at least 63 people, including 15 women, in a sports stadium in Sar-e Pol province for various alleged crimes, including “running away from home” and “moral crimes.”
Similarly, in May, the regime flogged eight individuals, including four women, in Ghor province for charges related to “adultery” and “running away from home.”
Human rights advocates and the UN continue to call for an end to these brutal practices and the reversal of regressive policies, emphasizing the negative impact on society, particularly on women.
Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Afghanistan, condemned the Taliban’s use of public flogging, urging an immediate cessation. He highlighted that such practices violate Afghanistan’s obligations under international law to prohibit torture and inhumane treatment.
Three years into their rule, the Taliban have imposed increasingly restrictive policies on women, banning them from employment in NGOs, government offices, and humanitarian organizations. This has severely affected women-led households and restricted access to essential services. Women are also barred from attending schools, universities, and other public spaces, further tightening their exclusion from public life.
