Taliban Supreme Court Orders Public Lashings for Fifteen Individuals Amid Global Outcry

The Supreme Court of the Taliban government has announced the execution of lashings for fifteen individuals, including one woman, in public in the provinces of Nangarhar and Ghor. This comes as international human rights organizations denounce public executions and corporal punishment as violations of human dignity and international law, calling for an immediate halt to such practices.

Public Punishments in Nangarhar

According to a statement from the Supreme Court, fourteen people, including one woman, were publicly punished in Nangarhar’s Lalpuri district following rulings from both the city and primary court. These individuals faced various charges, including running away from home, alcohol trafficking, sodomy, and theft. The Supreme Court confirmed that each of the convicted received between 30 to 39 lashes.

Punishment for Moral Corruption in Ghor

In a separate announcement, the court reported that another individual was lashed publicly in the Saghar district of Ghor for charges of moral corruption. This person had previously been sentenced to 39 lashes.

Ongoing Violations of International Law

Since regaining power in Afghanistan, the Taliban have implemented public corporal punishments and Sharia penalties, with reports indicating that over a hundred lashings have occurred, alongside eleven public executions witnessed by large crowds. International human rights organizations regard these acts as blatant violations of international law and human dignity, repeatedly calling for an immediate cessation of such punishments and urging the Taliban government to uphold human rights.