The Taliban’s Supreme Court has announced that two men were publicly flogged in Kapisa and Faryab provinces after being convicted of “illicit relations” and “transporting alcoholic beverages.”
According to separate statements issued by the court, the men received between 20 and 39 lashes and were also sentenced to prison terms ranging from one to two years.
The floggings were reportedly carried out in the courtyards of the respective provincial courts, in the presence of local officials, court staff, and members of the public.
International human rights organisations have repeatedly condemned the Taliban’s use of corporal punishment, calling it a form of torture and a violation of international law. However, the Taliban continues to defend the practice, describing public floggings as part of the enforcement of “Islamic Sharia law.”
Since returning to power in August 2021, the Taliban has reinstated a number of punitive measures, including public executions, floggings, and amputations, despite international outcry.
