KABUL, Afghanistan — Taliban flogged 18 people, including four women, in the eastern province of Khost, accusing them of same-sex relations and “illicit affairs,” the Taliban’s Supreme Court said in a statement on Monday.
Each person received 39 lashes and was sentenced to prison terms ranging from one to seven years, according to the statement.
The public flogging was attended by local Taliban judicial officials, members of the group’s civilian and military authorities, and residents of the area, the statement added.
According to data compiled by Amu from Taliban Supreme Court announcements, more than 110 people, including several women, have been flogged in different provinces across Afghanistan in the past month alone.
International human rights organizations and the United Nations have repeatedly condemned the Taliban’s use of corporal punishment, calling for an end to public floggings. However, the practice has continued since the group’s return to power in August 2021.
