UN Rapporteur Calls for Immediate Halt to Taliban\’s Public Executions in Afghanistan

Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Afghanistan, condemned the public executions by the Taliban, describing them as a tool for instilling fear and controlling society. He urged the Taliban to immediately halt all executions…

Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Afghanistan, in his latest response to the trend of public executions in the country, accused the Taliban of intending to create terror and social control by carrying out these punishments in public.

Bennett, in a statement, described the recent execution in Badghis province as a worrying example of the ongoing serious violations of human rights in Afghanistan. He emphasized that execution, under any circumstances, is an inhumane act, but when carried out within the framework of the Taliban\’s judiciary—a system that he claims lacks independence and fair legal processes—this action assumes even more dangerous dimensions.

Call for Immediate Halt to Executions

This UN official urged the Taliban to immediately stop all death penalties and adhere to international human rights commitments. Bennett added that the continuation of this trend could have severe consequences for Afghanistan\’s international reputation.

Taliban\’s Claims about the Judicial Process

Last week, the Taliban announced that they had executed an individual on charges of murder in Badghis province. According to the Taliban Supreme Court, the case of this person was reviewed in initial stages, with appeals and final judgment being issued thereafter.

However, local sources and some families of those executed have told the media that the defendants were not allowed to defend themselves or access a lawyer, a matter that has raised further concerns among human rights organizations.

History of Public Executions This Year

In the month of Hamal this year, the Taliban also executed four individuals in Badghis, Farah, and Nimroz provinces in front of the people. The United Nations and international human rights organizations at that time also considered this act a blatant violation of the right to life and a sign of the return of repressive policies.