KABUL — Thirteen people have been publicly flogged by the Taliban in the Mir Bacha Kot district of Kabul, according to a statement from the group’s Supreme Court issued Thursday, July 31.
The individuals were convicted of gambling, and trafficking drugs including heroin, hashish, and the narcotic pill Zikap.
Six of the accused received between 15 and 30 lashes. The remaining seven were sentenced to up to one year and eight months in prison, along with 10 to 25 lashes.
The punishments were carried out after the Taliban’s Supreme Court approved the verdicts.
This marks another instance in the Taliban’s widening use of corporal punishment since their return to power in 2021. In June, more than 80 people — including women — were publicly whipped across multiple provinces.
The Taliban has also resumed public executions. At least 10 men convicted of murder have been executed in front of crowds.
The United Nations and global human rights organizations have repeatedly condemned such punishments, calling them degrading, inhumane, and in violation of international law.
The Taliban insists these actions are legitimate under Islamic Sharia law and accuses critics of disrespecting Islamic values.
