As public punishments continue by the Taliban, three people were flogged in public in the western province of Herat on Sunday.
According to a statement by Taliban-run Supreme Court, the individuals were accused of “selling and carrying of drugs.”
The three individuals were lashed 39 lashes, the court said, adding that they were also sentenced to two years in prison.
This latest incident comes as the Taliban has publicly flogged more than 20 people, including women, across the country over the past week for various offenses.
The United Nations, in its quarterly report released on September 17, said the Taliban has continued to carry out public corporal punishments, sometimes involving large groups.
For instance, on June 4, in a stadium in the northern city of Sar-e Pol, 63 people — 15 women and 48 men — were flogged after being convicted of crimes such as armed robbery, extramarital relations, fleeing home, and sodomy.
The U.N. and international human rights organizations have condemned these public punishments, criticizing the Taliban for denying individuals the right to legal representation and due process.
