18 Publicly Flogged By Taliban in Sar-e Pol, Including 5 Women

Lars Castellucci, the German Commissioner for Human Rights Policy and Humanitarian Assistance, told Afghanistan International that Berlin welcomes the ICC’s move. He stated that since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, Afghan women and girls have been systematically stripped of their rights, a situation that, he said, must have consequences.

The ICC recently issued arrest warrants for Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada and Abdul Hakim Haqqani, the group’s chief justice. Both are accused of crimes against humanity linked to widespread rights abuses under Taliban rule.

Germany joins other Western nations in backing the ICC’s decision. Canada’s Foreign Ministry told Afghanistan International that it remains deeply concerned by ongoing human rights violations in Afghanistan, particularly those targeting women and girls. The ministry called on the Taliban to respect the rights of all Afghans.

A spokesperson for the UK Foreign Office also voiced support for the court’s action, saying that the United Kingdom stands with the people of Afghanistan and strongly opposes the Taliban’s treatment of women and girls.

The directive, issued by the Taliban’s Ministry of Information and Culture, requires media outlets to obtain prior permission to record or broadcast political programmes and to seek approval for analysts invited to participate in such content. A copy of the four-page memorandum, titled “Policy for Holding Political Programmes (Roundtables) in Afghanistan,” has been obtained by Afghanistan International.

According to the document, all political programmes must be submitted to the ministry before airing, and participating analysts must be vetted and issued an official identification card by the Taliban. The ministry has instructed that all political content must align with the policies of the the Taliban and has warned that any programme perceived to undermine the government, “national unity,” or “Islamic values” could result in severe penalties, including the revocation of broadcasting licences.

Media outlets have also been directed to criticise Taliban officials only “in respectful language and within the framework of the law,” a clause widely seen as another tool to suppress dissent.

The directive marks a significant escalation in the Taliban’s efforts to control the flow of information in Afghanistan since their return to power in August 2021. Under Taliban rule, media freedom has sharply declined, with numerous outlets forced to shut down and thousands of journalists either fleeing the country or facing imprisonment.

According to the 2025 World Press Freedom Index published by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), Afghanistan now ranks 175th out of 180 countries, with a score of just 17.88. The organisation reports that 141 journalists have been arrested or imprisoned since the Taliban’s return, with many subjected to intimidation, beatings, and torture, primarily at the hands of Taliban intelligence services.

One journalist told RSF that he believed he would die in custody, describing how Taliban forces tortured him “for their own amusement.”

Criticism of the Taliban’s leadership or policies has consistently been met with harsh retaliation. Observers say this latest media policy represents a systematic attempt to eliminate political discourse and silence dissenting voices in Afghan media.

In addition to editorial restrictions, the Taliban have also imposed content bans under their “Promotion of Virtue” law. In some provinces, including Kandahar and Takhar, the broadcasting of images of living beings has been banned, forcing visual media outlets to effectively operate as radio stations.

The group identified the prisoner as Ghorban Zainolnouri, a resident of Isfahan who was arrested at his workplace three years ago and later sentenced to death. According to the organisation, Zainolnouri was hanged alongside an Iranian inmate on Wednesday, 26 June, at Isfahan Central Prison.

In its statement, the rights group noted that Iranian law does not differentiate among categories of intentional homicide, allowing courts to impose the death penalty without considering the circumstances or motive of the crime.

Iranian officials and state media have not confirmed the executions. Human-rights monitors say at least six Afghan prisoners have been put to death in various Iranian prisons over the past week, and more than 80 were executed last year.

In a statement dated 27 June, Hengaw identified two of the men as Pasha and Ahmad; the surname of each and the name of the third prisoner were not known. All three were Afghan citizens, the group said.

The executions were carried out on Wednesday, 25 June, according to Hengaw. Iranian state media and judicial authorities have not confirmed the deaths.

Rights organisations operating outside Iran have long accused the Islamic Republic of stepping up executions of Afghan inmates since the Taliban regained power in Afghanistan in 2021. More than 80 Afghan prisoners were put to death in Iran last year, according to figures compiled by exile groups.

Speaking on Wednesday, June 25, at a gathering of officials and families of Taliban fighters in Kapisa province, Haqqani said it was possible that certain Taliban members had acted independently and violated others’ rights. He stressed that such actions were not sanctioned by the Taliban leadership and that those responsible would be held accountable before God.

Haqqani described the Taliban's rule as a divine test and urged officials to serve with humility and integrity, warning that misconduct could damage the regime's reputation. He asserted that the Taliban government embodies “religion, Sharia, and the martyrs,” and emphasised that the preservation of the regime and service to the people are sacred responsibilities.

The Taliban announced a general amnesty following its return to power in August 2021. However, the United Nations and human rights organisations have consistently reported that former members of the security forces and government have been subjected to arbitrary detention, torture and extrajudicial killings under Taliban rule.

Haqqani has called on Taliban members to remember the hardships of war and to act in a manner that reflects the values for which they fought, reinforcing that their conduct should support the strength and stability of the regime.