KABUL, Afghanistan — Taliban publicly flogged a man in Paktika province on charges of “drug use and moral corruption,” according to a statement from the Taliban-run Supreme Court.
The statement reported that the individual received 21 lashes in the Argun district of Paktika after being sentenced to 29 lashes by the Taliban’s primary court in the district.
Human rights organizations and international bodies, including the United Nations, have repeatedly criticized the Taliban for their methods of punishment, arguing that the Taliban administer justice without providing legal representation or adhering to formal legal standards.
In its latest annual report on the human rights situation in Afghanistan, the U.S. State Department condemned the Taliban’s punitive practices, calling them “inhumane” and urging their immediate cessation.
