KABUL, Afghanistan — As public punishments continue, Taliban publicly flogged three women and seven men in the provinces of Khost, Balkh and Ghor, according to Taliban statements on Thursday.
According to the statements, the punishments in Balkh and Ghor were administered on Wednesday, Nov. 27, while in Khost, the punishment was administered on Nov. 21.
In Khost, a woman and a man each received 39 lashes for alleged “moral corruption.”
In Ghor, a woman and man faced between 25 and 39 lashes for similar accusations, in addition to being sentenced to five months in prison.
Four other men in Ghor, convicted of adultery and sodomy, received between 25 and 39 lashes and were handed prison terms ranging from four months to two years, the court said.
In Balkh, two men were lashed 35 times each in public on charges of “sodomy”, according to a Taliban statement. The two were also sentenced to four years in prison.
The floggings were conducted in public spaces, including a sports stadium in Ghor and the courtyard of the appellate court in Khost. Local residents, Taliban judicial officials, government workers, and military personnel attended the events, according to the Taliban’s Supreme Court.
Surge in public punishments
Over the past month, the Taliban have administered corporal punishment to 111 people, including 18 women, in various provinces. These punishments have included public lashings for crimes such as theft, adultery, and “moral corruption.”
The provinces of Jawzjan and Khost reported the highest numbers of public floggings, with 22 cases recorded in Jawzjan and 19 in Khost.
Since regaining power in August 2021, the Taliban have steadily reinstated policies reminiscent of their rule in the 1990s. Public corporal punishment, once a hallmark of their earlier regime, has become increasingly common across Afghanistan.
The resurgence of public punishments has drawn sharp criticism from human rights organizations and the international community. Advocacy groups have condemned these acts as blatant violations of fundamental human rights and have called for their immediate cessation.
Human Rights Watch and other organizations have accused the Taliban of using such punishments to instill fear and maintain control, while undermining Afghanistan’s obligations under international human rights treaties.
