Taliban publicly flogged four people in Zabul and Khost provinces on charges of “sodomy and abducting a woman,” according to a statement from the Taliban-run Supreme Court.
In Khost’s Ismail Khil district, three individuals were flogged on Sunday, accused of engaging in sodomy. Each received 39 lashes, according to the Taliban court.
In a separate incident in Zabul Province, another individual was flogged on charges of “fleeing” with a woman from her home—a case reportedly tied to a cultural practice often associated with romantic relationships. The individual was sentenced to one year in prison and 39 lashes.
Public floggings have become increasingly common since the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021. Last year, the Taliban publicly flogged 580 individuals, including 42 women, for offenses ranging from “adultery, theft, and sodomy” to “acts against Sharia.”
In the last two months of 2024 alone, the Taliban Supreme Court reported that 93 people, including 12 women, were subjected to public lashings in 10 provinces. The provinces of Faryab, Paktia, Khost, Helmand, Jawzjan, Uruzgan, Farah, Ghazni, Kabul, Parwan, Kandahar, Paktika, and Ghor saw the highest number of floggings.
The Taliban’s use of public flogging as a form of punishment has drawn widespread condemnation from human rights groups and international organizations. Critics argue that such punishments violate basic human rights and represent a harsh interpretation of Sharia law.
