Public flogging in Afghanistan has drawn condemnation from the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). On Wednesday, UNAMA criticized the public flogging of over 60 individuals, including more than a dozen women, by the Taliban in northern Sari Pul province.
At least 63 people were lashed on Tuesday by Afghanistan’s de facto authorities. UNAMA made this known in a statement on social platform X. The U.N. office condemned corporal punishment and urged respect for international human rights obligations.
The Taliban’s supreme court confirmed the public flogging of 63 people, including 14 women. These individuals were accused of crimes such as sodomy, theft, and immoral relations. They were flogged at a sports stadium.
Despite initial promises of a more moderate rule, the Taliban began executing severe public punishments shortly after regaining power in 2021. These punishments mirror those from the Taliban’s previous rule in the late 1990s. Public executions, floggings, and stonings are now routine.
Separate statements from the supreme court reported the flogging of a man and a woman in northern Panjsher province. They were convicted of adultery and attempting to run away from home. This flogging occurred on Wednesday.
Earlier this year, the Taliban conducted a public execution in northern Jawzjan province. Thousands watched as a man, convicted of murder, was executed. The brother of the murdered man shot the convict five times with a rifle. This was the fifth public execution since the Taliban seized power in August 2021, following the withdrawal of U.S. and NATO troops after two decades of war.
Public flogging in Afghanistan continues to raise serious human rights concerns. UNAMA’s condemnation highlights the urgent need for adherence to international human rights standards.
