KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The Taliban publicly flogged 35 people, including a woman, in Kabul, Helmand, Samangan, and Jowzjan provinces over four days as the group continues to enforce its strict interpretation of Sharia law.
The Taliban Supreme Court said 15 people were flogged in Kabul on Sunday after being convicted of selling and trafficking narcotic tablets, alcohol, and hashish. The court said those punished received up to 39 lashes and prison terms of up to three and a half years.
In a separate announcement, the court said 15 others were flogged in Kabul on Thursday on similar charges, with each receiving as many as 39 lashes.
The court said two people were flogged in Helmand province on Sunday after being convicted of adultery. One received 20 lashes and a six-month prison term, while the second was given 39 lashes and a ten-month sentence.
In Samangan province, two individuals, including a woman, were flogged on Wednesday in Roy Do Ab district after being convicted of running away from home. Each received between 20 and 30 lashes along with a two-year prison term.
A separate statement said one person was flogged in Khamab district of Jowzjan province on Saturday after being convicted of theft. The punishment included 39 lashes and a three-month prison term.
The Taliban Supreme Court said all punishments were approved by judges and implemented in the presence of local authorities and the public.
The Taliban has carried out hundreds of public floggings since returning to power more than four years ago, including cases involving women and children. Such punishments have become routine across provinces, often taking place in sports stadiums, mosques, and district centers.
A recent report by the U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) documented at least 242 people, including 48 women, one boy, and two girls, who were publicly flogged between July and September this year.
Human rights groups have condemned the practice as “cruel, inhuman and degrading,” urging the Taliban to stop it. The Taliban says the punishments are part of enforcing Sharia law and accuses critics of opposing Islamic principles.
