Taliban Executes Four Men Publicly In Farah, Badghis, Nimroz Provinces

The executions, approved by Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, were conducted in front of crowds, including Taliban officials, in what marks a continuation of the group’s use of capital punishment since regaining power in 2021.

In Farah province, Mohammad Sadiq was executed in a stadium in the provincial capital after being found guilty of murder. In Badghis, two men, Soleiman and Haidar, were put to death in separate incidents. Soleiman was accused of killing three people, while Haidar was also convicted of murder. In Nimroz, Abdul Qadir, a resident of the provincial capital, was executed for a similar offence.

The Taliban’s judicial process, rooted in a strict interpretation of Sharia and local customary law, has drawn widespread criticism from human rights organisations for its lack of transparency, absence of legal representation, and reports of rushed or coerced trials. Critics argue that the application of qisas, intended in Islamic jurisprudence to ensure justice and prevent tribal revenge, is undermined by opaque proceedings and inadequate evidentiary standards.

Since the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021, public executions have resumed, echoing practices from their first regime (1996–2001), when punishments like executions and amputations were common. Historical cases, such as the 1999 execution of a woman named Zarmina in Kabul’s main stadium, underscored the brutality of that era.