KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Thomas Nicholson, the European Union’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, has denounced the Taliban’s execution of a man at a sports stadium in eastern Paktia province.
In a statement published on X (formerly Twitter) on November 18, Mr. Nicholson reiterated the EU’s firm opposition to the death penalty, emphasizing that the European Union “strongly opposes the death penalty at all times and in all circumstances.”
He further stated that carrying out executions in public is incompatible with Afghanistan’s international human rights obligations and violates human dignity, as outlined in Articles 6 and 7 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).
Mr. Nicholson also stressed the importance of adhering to fair trial standards in Afghanistan and ensuring the right to a fair hearing, particularly highlighting the need for access to legal representation for both women and men.
On November 13, the Taliban executed a man publicly at the central stadium in Gardez, the capital of Paktia province, accusing him of “murder.”
The execution was witnessed by Sirajuddin Haqqani, the Taliban’s acting interior minister, Khalil-ur-Rahman Haqqani, the acting minister for refugees, other senior Taliban officials, and a large crowd of spectators.
This marks the sixth public execution carried out by the Taliban since their return to power in August 2021. Previously, the group executed one person in Farah, two in Ghazni, one in Laghman, and one in Jowzjan.
