KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The Taliban’s Supreme Court announced that three people, including a woman, were publicly flogged in Nangarhar and Ghazni for “adultery” and “illicit relationships.”
In separate statements released on November 3, the court confirmed that these floggings took place last Tuesday. In the first case, a woman and a man were sentenced by the primary court in Behsud District, Nangarhar, to 35 and 39 lashes, respectively, for “adultery.” In the second case, a man in Qarabagh District, Ghazni, received 39 lashes for “illicit relationships.”
These cases reflect a broader rise in public corporal punishment as the Taliban intensified enforcement of “hudud”—punishments rooted in Islamic law—under orders from the group’s supreme leader.
Since reclaiming power in 2021, the Taliban have escalated these practices, affecting hundreds of people, including women and members of the LGBTQ+ community.
The UN Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) recently reported 179 instances of corporal punishment over three months, which included the flogging of 28 women and four children. Public executions have also occurred, with at least five individuals convicted of murder executed before crowds.
Human rights organizations have condemned these actions as violations of international law and human dignity, pointing to the absence of fair legal procedures, as many accused are denied legal defense.
Despite mounting international criticism, the Taliban remain unmoved, asserting their commitment to enforcing Sharia law across Afghanistan.
