As corporal punishments continue, the Taliban flogged two individuals in the Samkani district of Paktia province in the east of the country on charges of theft and “moral corruption,” according to a statement.
The Taliban-run supreme court said each individual received 39 lashes and was sentenced to prison terms ranging from eight months to one year.
The sentences were carried out after being approved by the Taliban’s Supreme Court, the statement added.
The flogging took place in the presence of local Taliban judicial officials, the district governor, the local Taliban commander, other administrators, and residents of the area, according to the statement.
This incident is part of a broader increase in public corporal punishments by the Taliban in recent months. Since early November, the Taliban have flogged 133 individuals, including 19 women, in various provinces.
The provinces of Jawzjan and Khost have recorded the highest numbers of public floggings, with 22 cases reported in Jawzjan and 25 in Khost, according to local reports.
The Taliban’s use of public corporal punishment has sparked widespread criticism both domestically and internationally. Human rights organizations have condemned these practices, labeling them violations of human rights and human dignity.
Rights groups have called on the Taliban to immediately halt these punishments, which they say contravene international norms and Afghanistan’s obligations under international human rights law.
