Taliban Flogged 16 People Over the Past Week

According to statistics from the Taliban’s Supreme Court and findings by R.M. Media, the Taliban flogged 16 people — including one woman — in four provinces of Afghanistan during the past week.

The individuals had been arrested in Kabul, Kapisa, Faryab, and Ghazni provinces on charges of engaging in extramarital relationships, fleeing home, drug trafficking, and buying or selling alcohol.

Each of the accused received public floggings ranging from 10 to 39 lashes and was sentenced to prison terms between six months and three years.

Reports indicated that these punishments were carried out with the approval of the Taliban’s Supreme Court and executed publicly in front of both Taliban members and ordinary citizens.

Since taking power more than four years ago, the Taliban have flogged hundreds of men and women in public for various alleged offenses, and several individuals have been executed under so-called "qisas" (retribution) rulings.

Although such actions drew strong condemnation from the international community — criticizing the lack of access to fair legal proceedings — the Taliban paid little attention to these reactions and continued to implement corporal punishment and executions in public, based on orders from their supreme leader.