The Taliban’s Supreme Court announced on Wednesday that an individual in Maidan Wardak province was publicly flogged in the presence of several judges and Taliban officials.

The individual, who had been accused of “theft”, received 39 lashes.

The group has not disclosed the identity of this individual and stated that his sentence was carried out in Saydabad district of Maidan Wardak province.

The Taliban lashes a number of citizens each week on various charges.

In the past week, the group publicly flogged at least five individuals in the Zabul and Nangarhar provinces.

Human rights defenders and the international community have repeatedly urged Taliban leaders to cease physical punishments, but the group claims that it punishes accused citizens according to "Islamic laws”.