The Taliban Supreme Court announced on Saturday, 22 February, that a woman in Herat was publicly flogged 15 times for alleged “illicit relations.” According to the statement, between 22 January and 22 February, the Taliban publicly flogged 17 women and 51 men across Afghanistan.
This comes as Karim Khan, the Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), has accused Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada and Supreme Court Chief Abdul Hakim Haqqani of committing crimes against humanity for their systematic gender-based violence and persecution.
Khan stated that Afghan women, girls, and the LGBTQ+ community are facing unprecedented and ongoing abuse under Taliban rule. Despite international condemnation, the Taliban continues to carry out public corporal punishments, including flogging and torture.
