Taliban have publicly flogged 11 people in Kabul after convicting them of drug trafficking and alcohol-related offences, the Taliban-run Supreme Court said on Monday.
In a statement, the court said the individuals were punished for the “smuggling and sale of intoxicating pills, including Zikap and K, as well as methamphetamine, alcoholic drinks and hashish”.
Each of the convicted individuals received between 10 and 30 lashes and was also sentenced to prison terms ranging from seven months to three years, the statement said, adding that the punishments were carried out after final court approval.
The flogging in Kabul followed a similar punishment a day earlier in eastern Kunar province, where Taliban said 17 people were publicly whipped.
Data compiled from Taliban Supreme Court statements show a sharp rise in corporal punishment over the past three months. At least 346 people have been flogged during this period, including those punished in Kabul, according to the figures.
The number of floggings has increased month by month, with 71 people punished in Mizan (September–October), 100 in Aqrab (October–November) and 164 in Qaws (November–December).
The data indicate a 47% increase in corporal punishment in the current month compared with the previous one. At least 65 of those flogged this month were residents of Kabul, with the capital, Khost and Takhar recording the highest numbers.
The United Nations and other international organisations have repeatedly called on the Taliban to end corporal punishment, warning that such practices violate international human rights standards.
