KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The Taliban publicly flogged six people, including a woman, in Afghanistan’s northeastern Kapisa province on charges of “illicit relationships” and “adultery,” the group’s Supreme Court announced Tuesday.
The punishments took place on Monday, March 10, in the Hesa Duwum district of Kapisa. Each individual received between 15 to 39 lashes, with additional prison terms ranging from eight months to two years, according to the court.
The floggings were carried out in front of a crowd of locals and Taliban authorities, the court said.
Public corporal punishment has become increasingly common under Taliban rule. Reports indicate such incidents are now occurring almost daily.
Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Afghanistan, documented at least 311 cases of corporal punishment—47 involving women—in the second half of 2024, marking a 22% increase compared to the first half of the year.
The Taliban has also conducted at least six executions for murder in recent years.
The UN, human rights organizations, and activists have widely condemned these punishments, accusing the Taliban of violating fundamental rights and ignoring international legal norms.
The Taliban, however, defends its actions as enforcing Sharia law, dismissing criticism as opposition to Islamic principles.
