RASC News Agency: Reports from Kapisa indicate that the Taliban publicly flogged five individuals, including a woman, in a gathering attended by local residents. The Taliban’s Supreme Court confirmed the incident, stating that the punishments were carried out on charges of “zina” (adultery) and “lavat” (sodomy). According to the court’s announcement, the Criminal Division of the Taliban’s Appellate Court in Kapisa sentenced the individuals to terms of imprisonment ranging from one to two years and corporal punishments involving 20 to 39 lashes. These sentences were executed publicly last week.
However, sources claim the sentences were based on forced confessions extracted under duress, with no concrete evidence to support the allegations. According to these reports, the Taliban coerced the accused into admitting guilt and bypassed any standard judicial procedure. Another source alleged that the punishments were imposed without any witnesses or corroborative testimony, highlighting the arbitrary nature of the Taliban’s actions. Since regaining control over Afghanistan, the Taliban has reinstated public corporal punishments as part of their strict interpretation of Islamic law. This includes public floggings, stonings, and executions. To date, the group has reportedly flogged hundreds of individuals in public and carried out at least six public executions.
These actions have drawn widespread condemnation from the international community, global human rights organizations, and Afghanistani citizens. Despite the backlash, the Taliban remains resolute, defending such punishments as necessary for enforcing their interpretation of divine justice and maintaining social order.
