KABUL, Afghanistan — The Taliban-run Supreme Court announced on Saturday that a man was publicly flogged in Kabul on charges of sodomy, the latest instance of the Taliban’s harsh enforcement of its interpretation of Islamic law.
According to a statement from the court, the individual received 35 lashes and was sentenced to two years in prison. The identity of the man, as well as other details surrounding the case, were not disclosed by the Taliban.
The incident is part of a broader pattern of punitive measures that have escalated since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021. In the past three years, more than 6,000 people, including over 100 women, have been publicly flogged for various alleged offenses, according to findings by Amu, a local news outlet.
Human rights organizations have condemned the Taliban’s actions. In a statement marking the second anniversary of the Taliban’s takeover on August 15, Amnesty International criticized the international community for its failure to address the ongoing human rights crisis in Afghanistan.
The resurgence of such punishments highlights the Taliban’s commitment to strict religious codes, despite global calls for more moderate governance and respect for human rights.
