The Taliban Supreme Court says one woman and four men were publicly flogged in Maidan Wardak and Zabul provinces for theft, extramarital affairs and same-sex relations. The group said that each of them received 39 lashes and prison terms of two to three years.
In separate statements on Monday, April 13, the court said one person was punished in Shahjoy district of Zabul, while one woman and three men were flogged in Sayedabad district of Maidan Wardak.
According to the statements, those in Wardak were punished in public in the presence of local officials, security personnel, government staff and residents.
Since the start late March, the Taliban have flogged at least 97 people across Afghanistan on various charges.
Despite opposition from international organisations to corporal punishment and torture, the Taliban have continued carrying out public floggings.
The group describes such punishments as the implementation of “Islamic Sharia”.
