KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The Taliban publicly flogged 13 individuals, including six women, in a sports stadium in Sheberghan, the capital of northern Jowzjan province, on Thursday, according to the provincial Department of Information and Culture.
Saifuddin Mutassim, head of the department, confirmed the punishments, stating that the individuals were flogged for charges of “adultery,” “running away from home,” and “drug and alcohol use.” Each person received between 26 and 39 lashes.
Since returning to power in 2021, the Taliban has made corporal punishment a central element of its justice system, publicly lashing dozens of individuals—including women and LGBTQ+ people—across Afghanistan.
The group’s use of public floggings has intensified in recent months. In February alone, at least 80 people—18 of them women—were publicly whipped across Afghanistan. Additionally, the Taliban has carried out at least six public executions in the past few years.
The UN, rights groups, and activists have repeatedly condemned the Taliban’s use of corporal punishment, calling it a violation of international human rights law and urging an immediate halt to the practice.
However, the Taliban has defended the punishments, insisting they are enforcing Sharia law. The group accuses critics of either misunderstanding Islamic law or harboring biases against Islam.
