KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Amnesty International has once again called on the Taliban to end the “heinous” practice of corporal punishment in Afghanistan and to respect international human rights law.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday, Amnesty said that corporal punishment is carried out without due process, legal safeguards, or support for victims and their families. The rights group stressed that such actions violate basic human rights and leave communities, especially women, vulnerable to further abuse.
“Victims and their families, especially women, after the heinous punishment of public flogging are exposed to further inhumane conditions, ill-treatment and de-humanization in communities,” Amnesty said.
“The Taliban must immediately put an end to the criminal practice of corporal punishment and respect international human rights law.”
Since returning to power in August 2021, the Taliban has made corporal punishment a central feature of its penal system. The punishments are often carried out for crimes the regime labels as “moral corruption,” including adultery, theft, and other violations of its strict interpretation of Islamic law. In June alone, more than 80 people, including several women, were publicly whipped across multiple provinces.
Public executions have also resumed under the Taliban, with at least 10 men executed in front of large crowds after convictions for murder. Human rights organizations and the United Nations have condemned these practices as severe violations of international law and human dignity, calling on the Taliban to immediately halt them.
The Taliban enforces a strict interpretation of Islamic law and has repeatedly defended the use of corporal and capital punishment. Taliban authorities argue these measures are consistent with Sharia law and accuse critics of misrepresenting or opposing Islam.
