Afghanistan

Amnesty International condemns Taliban’s public flogging as ‘shocking’

File photo.

Amnesty International has condemned the public flogging of 63 individuals in Sar-e Pul province, Afghanistan, describing the act as “shocking and inhumane.”

In a statement on X, the watchdog asserted that the Taliban’s actions violate the absolute prohibition of torture and other ill-treatment under international law. “The Taliban de facto authorities have disregarded international human rights law and reinstated a cruel justice system, contributing to the legalization of inhuman practices,” Amnesty International declared.

The organization called for an immediate and unconditional end to these public floggings. “The criminal practice of public flogging and all other forms of corporal punishment must be immediately and unconditionally stopped, and a formal justice mechanism with fair trials and access to legal remedies must be put in place,” the statement added.

On June 4, the Taliban publicly lashed 63 individuals in a stadium in Sar-e Pul province, an event that has drawn widespread condemnation from human rights organizations and the international community.