KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – A group of UN experts has condemned the Taliban’s rising use of public corporal punishment in Afghanistan, saying more than 1,100 people were flogged in 2025 alone, marking the highest number since the group returned to power in 2021.
In a statement, the experts, including Richard Bennett, UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan, stated that the Taliban’s use of public corporal punishment violates international human rights law and should stop immediately.
According to the statement, citing figures from the Taliban’s Supreme Court, at least 1,110 people, including 170 women, were flogged in 2025, nearly double the number recorded in 2024.
UN experts warned that the trend may continue. In January 2026 alone, authorities reported the public flogging of 147 men and 15 women, one of the highest monthly totals since the practice began officially in late 2022.
“Corporal punishment is an offence against human dignity and physical integrity, and, depending on its severity, would amount to cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment and/or torture. It should be halted immediately,” the UN experts stated in the statement.
The majority of those punished are men accused of crimes such as theft, drug or alcohol use, selling narcotics, or gambling. However, the experts warned that women, girls, and LGBT+ individuals face heightened risks of punishment for so-called “moral crimes,” including adultery, “illicit relationships,” and “sodomy.” They said such punishments reflect a wider system of gender-based discrimination.
“We are appalled that corporal punishment sentences are being imposed in a judicial system that lacks independence, due process guarantees, and other fundamental safeguards,” the experts said, adding that serious deficiencies in the system fail to address the grievances of victims.
The experts also raised concerns about transparency and the treatment of those punished. Official records released by Taliban authorities do not include the ages of those flogged or details about their mental condition. In some cases, children have also been subjected to corporal punishment. Floggings are typically carried out in public, and residents, including children, are sometimes compelled to attend.
Alongside corporal punishment, the UN experts also expressed concern over the Taliban’s continued use of the death penalty. At least 12 men have been executed since the group’s return to power, prompting calls for an immediate moratorium.
“Punishments carried out without due process, and which themselves constitute human rights violations, cannot be considered justice,” the experts said, urging stronger international pressure to address the situation.
“The international community must speak out more forcefully on the human rights crisis in Afghanistan,” the experts said, urging governments to demand due process guarantees and press for a moratorium on corporal and capital punishment with a view to their abolition.
Since their return to power, the Taliban have defended corporal and capital punishments as part of their interpretation of Islamic law and say such measures are necessary to maintain justice and social order. However, governments, UN bodies, and human rights organizations worldwide have repeatedly condemned the practices, urging the Taliban to halt public punishments and uphold Afghanistan’s obligations under international human rights treaties.
