KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – A group of UN experts, including the Special Rapporteur Richard Bennett, has urged the Taliban to end all forms of capital and corporal punishment, calling the practices “inhuman” and a violation of international law.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the experts condemned recent public executions carried out by the Taliban, warning that such acts amount to an assault on human dignity and cannot be justified, even on religious grounds.
“We condemn the public executions, which constitute a violation of international law and an attack on human dignity,” the statement read. “Turning executions into public events normalizes brutality, desensitizes communities to violence, and creates a climate of fear and intimidation.”
The Taliban have resumed public punishments, including floggings and executions, since returning to power in 2021. The latest incidents occurred on Friday, April 11, in three provinces where four men accused of murder were shot in front of Taliban officials and a crowd of onlookers. These executions mark the tenth known instance of such punishment since the group’s return to power.
“Friday’s executions represent a worrying increase in this kind of punishment,” the experts said. “We urge the Taliban to introduce an immediate moratorium on the death penalty with a view to its abolition.”
The experts also voiced concern over the continued use of corporal punishment, including floggings, which have become increasingly routine under Taliban rule. According to figures from the Taliban’s Supreme Court, at least 213 corporal punishments—including 169 men and 44 women—have been carried out since the beginning of the year. Last week alone, at least 19 people, including five women, were reportedly flogged.
The experts questioned the legitimacy of the Taliban’s justice system, highlighting its lack of independence and basic legal safeguards. “Given that Afghanistan currently lacks a constitution and clear legal framework, we are particularly concerned about fair trial rights and access to justice for women and girls, as well as boys,” they added.
“The Taliban must immediately stop capital punishment and all forms of corporal punishment that constitute torture or other forms of cruel and inhuman punishment, and respect the rights and dignity of all detainees,” the statement said.
The Taliban has not yet responded to the UN experts’ remarks. However, following an earlier appeal by the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) to stop public executions, the group defended the practice as a “religious obligation” and rejected UNAMA’s call as “irresponsible” and stemming from “ignorance of Islamic rulings.”
Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, have also condemned the executions, describing them as “deplorable” and further evidence of the Taliban’s disregard for international human rights norms.
