KABUL, Afghanistan — The Taliban have again resorted to brutal public floggings, punishing 85 people, including 12 women, over the past month. The incidents, reported by the Taliban-run Supreme Court, took place between October 22 and November 14. The floggings occurred in multiple provinces, with Ghazni and Khost seeing the highest numbers.
Among the 85 victims, 22 were flogged in Jowzjan, while 17 suffered similar punishment in Khost. Other provinces like Nangarhar, Parwan, Paktika, Wardak, Faryab, Ghazni, and Kabul also reported cases. The Taliban cited charges such as “leaving home without permission,” “immoral relations,” “adultery,” “sodomy,” “theft,” and “moral corruption” to justify the public humiliations.
Although the Taliban claim these acts are based on Sharia law, critics are speaking out. Religious scholar Mohammad Badakhsh condemned the punishment as “desert justice.” He argued that Sharia’s hudud punishments should only be imposed under strict conditions, such as voluntary confession or clear evidence. Without these, he says, the punishment is unjust.
Human rights organizations are sounding the alarm over the Taliban’s harsh measures. They warn that the brutal flogging marks a disturbing return to the regime’s 1990s policies. These punishments are part of a broader pattern of human rights violations, including unfair trials and the absence of independent judicial oversight.
One Kabul resident voiced a growing concern, saying, “In a country where women can’t speak freely, even innocent people may be victims of this ‘desert justice.’ The international community and human rights groups must take action.”
The Taliban maintain that prisoners’ rights are respected and their trials are fair. But reports continue to surface of ongoing torture in Taliban-run prisons. Independent observers have no access to the Taliban’s judicial system, raising further concerns about its transparency.
Habibullah Badr, the deputy head of the Taliban’s Prison Administration, revealed that between 600 and 700 people are awaiting execution, and another 400 have been sentenced to “qisas” (retributive justice) under Sharia law.
