Taliban publicly flogged two individuals in Kandahar on Sunday, accusing them of “sodomy”.
Each person was lashed 30 times and sentenced to one year in prison, the Taliban-run supreme court said in a statement.
Taliban said the two individuals were indicted by their court in Maiwand district of Kandahar.
This incident is part of a broader pattern of public corporal punishments being carried out by the Taliban across Afghanistan. In the past week alone, more than 22 people, including women, have been publicly flogged for various offenses, according to local reports.
A recent United Nations report, released on September 17, confirmed the Taliban’s ongoing use of public punishment. The report cited several instances of large-scale floggings, including an event on June 4 in the northern city of Sar-e Pol, where 63 people—15 women and 48 men—were publicly whipped after being convicted of crimes such as armed robbery, extramarital relations, fleeing home, and sodomy.
The U.N. and international human rights organizations have condemned the Taliban’s use of public punishments, criticizing the group for denying individuals the right to legal representation and due process. Observers have raised concerns that these acts violate basic human rights and international legal norms, further isolating Afghanistan under Taliban rule.
Despite global outrage, the Taliban has continued to defend its actions as part of enforcing Islamic law, drawing harsh criticism from advocates for human rights and legal protections for Afghan citizens.
