KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The Taliban carried out public floggings of two individuals in Kabul on Saturday, December 7, as corporal punishment continues to rise in Afghanistan.
In a statement, the Taliban Supreme Court announced that the individuals were flogged for “adultery” after receiving approval from the Taliban’s Chief Justice.
According to the statement, each individual received 39 lashes in the presence of Taliban authorities and a crowd and were also sentenced to three years in prison.
This is the latest instance of corporal punishment carried out by the Taliban. In recent months, the Taliban have flogged hundreds of individuals, including women and LGBTQ+ people, on charges the regime deems as “moral corruption.”
Since the beginning of December, the Taliban has flogged at least 17 people, including two women, in Kapisa, Khost, and Faryab provinces on various charges.
In November alone, the Taliban publicly flogged at least 81 people, including 15 women, across Afghanistan.
The UN Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) recently documented 111 cases of corporal punishment from July to September, including the flogging of 15 women and one girl. Furthermore, the regime has carried out public executions, with at least six individuals convicted of murder executed in the past three years.
Human rights organizations and the UN have strongly condemned these practices as violations of international law and human rights. They also criticized the lack of due process in the Taliban’s judicial system, which often denies defendants access to legal representation and fair trials.
Despite widespread criticism and condemnation, Taliban leaders maintain that their actions are in accordance with Islamic law. They accuse critics of misunderstanding or disagreeing with their interpretation of Sharia.
