RASC News Agency: Sources report that the Taliban publicly lashed a man in Samangan province, accusing him of “adultery.” Witnesses claim that the lashing was carried out arbitrarily, with no concrete evidence presented against the man. His confession, it is alleged, was extracted under duress through beatings. The Taliban’s Supreme Court, in confirming the incident, stated in an official announcement that the individual was subjected to “20 lashes.”
This follows a previous announcement by the same court, revealing that two women and one man in Takhar province were also publicly lashed, similarly accused of “adultery.” However, local sources in Takhar suggest that the allegations were unfounded, and the punishments were, again, arbitrary actions by Taliban officials. It is noteworthy that in the past three weeks alone, the Taliban have publicly lashed over 20 individuals across various provinces, including these four.
Reports indicate that in the past three years, at least 700 people have been subjected to public lashings by the Taliban across multiple provinces. Human rights activists in Afghanistan assert that most of these lashings are carried out without proper evidence and under coercion. The Taliban often disregard the necessity of valid proof or voluntary confessions, and frequently impose corporal punishment or imprisonment based on arbitrary accusations.
The United Nations, in its quarterly report, noted that despite international outcry, the Taliban have continued to administer corporal punishment. Both the UN and numerous global human rights organizations have repeatedly called for an end to such practices. However, the Taliban have consistently ignored these appeals, continuing to impose such punishments at will.
