Taliban publicly flogged four people, including two women, in Kabul after convicting them of adultery, according to a statement by the Taliban-run Supreme Court.
The court said each of the four received between 25 and 30 lashes and was sentenced to prison terms ranging from one to two years. The punishments were carried out after final court approval, it added.
The flogging came a day after Taliban said they had flogged 11 people in Kabul on charges including drug trafficking and the sale of alcohol and narcotics.
Data compiled from statements by the Taliban Supreme Court show a sharp rise in corporal punishment over the past three months. At least 357 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 bodies have repeatedly called on the Taliban to end corporal punishment, warning that such practices violate international human rights standards.
Since returning to power in 2021, the Taliban have enforced strict interpretations of Islamic law, including public floggings and executions, drawing sustained international criticism.
