Taliban publicly flogged seven people in Kabul after accusing them of trafficking and selling drugs and alcohol, according to a statement from the Taliban-run Supreme Court.
The statement said that each of the individuals received between 10 and 39 lashes and was sentenced to prison terms ranging from one to five years. The punishments were carried out after approval from the court.
The case follows a similar incident in Kapisa province last week, where the Taliban flogged a man in public for what they called “propaganda” against their rule.
Based on figures collected by Amu from Taliban statements, at least 70 people, including a dozen women, have been flogged in various provinces over the past month.
The figures alsos how that since retaking power nearly four years ago, the Taliban have flogged almost 1,200 people across Afghanistan for offenses including theft, so-called illicit relations and running away from home. The United Nations and international human rights groups have repeatedly condemned the practice and urged the Taliban to end corporal punishment, but the group has continued.
Rights advocates and analysts say the floggings reflect a broader pattern of repression. They argue that the Taliban use religion and Sharia law as tools to suppress dissent and enforce social control.
