A Taliban court in Kabul has sentenced three men to public floggings and prison terms after convicting them of drug-related offences, according to a statement issued by the group’s Supreme Court.
The men were accused of selling various illegal substances, including tablet-K, crystal methamphetamine, cannabis. The Taliban’s primary court reportedly sentenced them to between one year and two years and six months in prison.
In addition to imprisonment, each individual received between 15 and 20 lashes. The Taliban Supreme Court’s statement, released Tuesday, did not clarify whether the flogging was carried out in public, a common practice under Taliban rule.
The Taliban frequently administer public corporal punishment, claiming it serves as a deterrent and helps reduce crime. The group maintains that such practices are part of enforcing what it describes as Islamic Sharia law.
Human rights organisations and international bodies have repeatedly urged the Taliban to end the use of corporal punishment and other forms of inhumane treatment. However, the group continues to defy these calls and has intensified such actions since returning to power in 2021.
