KABUL, Afghanistan — Taliban publicly flogged 13 people, including five women, in northern Afghanistan’s Jowzjan province, the latest in a series of corporal punishments carried out by them since their return to power.
The public lashing, which took place in the presence of Taliban officials, was confirmed in a statement from the Taliban provincial governor’s office. According to the Taliban’s court ruling, each individual received between 29 and 39 lashes.
Taliban officials did not disclose the specific charges against those punished. However, Abdul Ghani Saeed, the head of the Taliban’s appeals court in Jowzjan, defended the practice, saying, “The enforcement of hudud, qisas, and tazir punishments preserves people’s rights and prevents disorder and corruption in society.”
Since retaking control of Afghanistan in 2021, the Taliban have repeatedly emphasized their commitment to implementing their interpretation of Islamic law, despite international condemnation.
Surge in public floggings
The latest punishment comes amid growing concerns from human rights organizations over the Taliban’s use of corporal punishment. Richard Bennett, the United Nations special rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan, told the U.N. Human Rights Council this week that the Taliban have publicly flogged at least 128 people, including 27 women, in recent months.
Reports indicate that over the past month alone, more than 100 individuals, including women, have been subjected to public lashings in various provinces for alleged offenses.
The Taliban’s increasing use of corporal punishment has drawn sharp criticism from international organizations, which have urged the group to halt such practices. However, the Taliban remain defiant, insisting that their rule is based on strict adherence to Islamic law.
