RASC News Agency: The Taliban’s Supreme Court has announced that an individual in Kabul has been flogged on charges of “sodomy.” In a statement released today Saturday, August 24th, the court reported that the individual was whipped following a verdict issued by the Fourth Zone Primary Court of Kabul. According to the court, the individual was found guilty of sodomy.
A source, who requested anonymity, informed RASC News, “It appears that the person who was flogged was identified as the perpetrator. However, it remains unclear how the Taliban will deal with the other party involved.” The Taliban’s Supreme Court further stated that the individual received 35 lashes and was also sentenced to two years of imprisonment. The court did not provide details on the execution of the sentence. However, the Taliban have previously administered public floggings of accused individuals.
The Taliban frequently administer corporal punishment based on accusations and unverified hearsay. They issue sentences and execute punishments without proper consideration of evidence, often extracting forced confessions before publicly subjecting the accused to flogging. Since their return to power in Afghanistan, the Taliban have publicly executed five individuals in front of hundreds of onlookers. Additionally, numerous reports have emerged of secret executions carried out in the Taliban’s notorious prisons. To date, the group has publicly flogged and humiliated dozens of individuals.
Those accused of sodomy, theft, and rape have often been flogged or stoned. However, members of the Taliban caught in acts of sexual assault are frequently released without facing any punishment. Human rights organizations have repeatedly condemned such executions and corporal punishment as violations of international law and human dignity, demanding an immediate cessation. However, the Taliban have consistently ignored these calls and continue their oppressive practices.
The Taliban assert that matters such as forming an inclusive government, women’s rights, and the execution of sentences are internal issues that concern only them, dismissing international criticism.
