RASC News Agency: The Taliban have significantly increased the use of corporal punishments in recent months. Sources from Kabul have reported that the group recently subjected two individuals, including a woman, to public flogging. The Taliban allege that the two were engaged in an extramarital relationship. In a statement released on Tuesday, January 7, the Taliban’s Supreme Court confirmed that the two individuals were publicly flogged in Kabul on charges of having an illicit relationship. According to the statement, one individual was sentenced to one year in prison and 39 lashes, while the other received six months of imprisonment and the same number of lashes.
Just a day prior, the Taliban administered public floggings and prison sentences to two other individuals in Kabul and Faryab provinces. Since reclaiming control of Afghanistan, the Taliban have frequently conducted public punishments, including executions. On several occasions, they have carried out public executions, including the hanging of six individuals, a practice that has drawn widespread condemnation both domestically and internationally. Despite these reactions, the Taliban remain steadfast in their defense of such actions, asserting their commitment to enforcing their strict interpretation of Sharia law.
Some Afghanistani citizens allege that the Taliban arbitrarily detain and torture young men from northern provinces under various pretexts. Residents of Panjshir, Takhar, and Parwan have accused the group of unlawful arrests and severe mistreatment. However, the Taliban have denied these allegations, claiming they only target individuals involved in criminal activities and do not detain anyone without cause. This recent surge in public punishments underscores the Taliban’s intensified efforts to enforce their judicial policies, raising alarm about mounting human rights abuses and the deterioration of due process in Afghanistan.
