Sources Report 2 Cases of Mpox In Kabul & Paktia Provinces

The court stated that the accused received 30 to 39 lashes and were sentenced to prison terms ranging from eight months to two years.

On Tuesday, August 27, the Taliban’s Supreme Court said in a press release that the Babaji court of the group in Helmand province publicly flogged the accused in the presence of local judicial officials, scholars, and the public.

The court did not provide details about the identities of the accused.

Earlier, on Monday, the Taliban’s Supreme Court announced that 12 people were publicly flogged in Zabul province on various charges.

Momeni emphasised that "undocumented migrants" must leave Iran by the end of the Iranian year 1403 (March 2025).

According to a report by the Entekhab newspaper, when asked about the statement from Iran's Border Guard Commander that undocumented migrants should leave the country by the end of the current solar year, Momeni responded, "This matter is in progress, and we are pursuing it."

Earlier, on August 13, Iran's Border Guard Commander, Ahmad Ali Goudarzi, reiterated during a press conference that the policy of expelling undocumented migrants would be implemented by the end of the current year. He also called on Iranian border residents to assist in safeguarding the borders, stating, "This action is a demand of our people, and it must be achieved to ensure the security of the country."

Recently, Ahmad Reza Radan, Commander of the Islamic Republic's Law Enforcement Forces, also stressed on this issue, stating that undocumented foreign nationals must leave Iran by the end of 1403 and return to their countries.

On August 12, the Taliban's Ministry of Refugees announced that over 1.799 million people have returned to Afghanistan from Iran, Pakistan, and other countries over the past year.

According to the organisation’s report, the execution of the Afghan national was carried out on Saturday morning, August 24.

On Monday, August 26, the human rights organisation stated that the 30-year-old Afghan, originally from Mahmood Raqi in Kapisa province, was arrested about three years ago on charges of premeditated murder and was sentenced to qisas (retribution in kind).

Till now, Iranian domestic media and official sources, including the judiciary and prison authorities, have not confirmed the execution of this prisoner.

The Iran Human Rights group stated, "The lack of classification for premeditated murder in Iran means that any type of murder, regardless of severity or the defendant's motive, can result in a death sentence."

On Sunday, the organisation also issued a statement reporting that two Afghan citizens had been transferred to solitary confinement in Tabriz Central Prison in preparation for their executions.

Recently, Iran Human Rights released a report indicating that in the first seven months of this year, at least 300 people, including 20 Afghan citizens, have been executed in the prisons of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The decree further requires that spokespersons from the group's ministries and departments obtain approval before "publishing content”.

The decree, which was made public by the Taliban-controlled state news agency Bakhtar on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, outlines that spokespersons are "obliged to communicate the activities and achievements of the Islamic Emirate and other pertinent information to the media in accordance with established policy”.

This directive from the Taliban leadership significantly curtails access to information and increases governmental oversight. It suggests tighter control over the flow of information, further limiting the public's right to access accurate and timely data.

The decree also stipulates that if the Taliban's position on any issue remains unclear, spokespersons must refrain from making any comments. Instead, they are instructed to only release statements that have been officially issued by the group's "high authority”.

Moreover, the decree specifies that the responsibilities of spokespersons for ministries and other government departments are restricted to their respective domains. These spokespersons are required to secure permission from their respective ministries or departments before releasing any public statements or content.

Speaking in Sar-e-Pul province, Hanafi described the newly signed "Law for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice" as a demand from "the people of Afghanistan" and urged the international community to avoid "undue criticism”.

According to reports from Taliban-controlled National Radio and Television, Hanafi emphasised that the propagation of virtue is a "divine decree" and asserted that the Taliban government has an obligation to uphold these principles. He further stated that the establishment of the Taliban regime was intended to "implement the rituals of Islam”.

On Monday, the Taliban-controlled Bakhtar News Agency quoted Hanafi as affirming that the newly enacted law is rooted in Islamic provisions. He also warned that anyone opposing the law will be held accountable.

The Taliban recently announced that their leader ratified the "Law for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice," which has introduced various restrictions on women in both public and private life. Human rights activists have condemned the new law, labelling it as a continuation of the Taliban's efforts to suppress and marginalise women from public life.