Taliban publicly flog three men in Paktia on allegedly charges of Sodomy

The Taliban’s Supreme Court announced that three men were publicly flogged in Paktia province on charges of sodomy.

In a statement released on Monday, November 18, the court reported that the punishments were carried out in Surobi district of Paktia in front of a public audience. Each of the accused was sentenced to 15 years of imprisonment and 30 lashes.

This incident follows the public execution of a young man in Gardez, the provincial capital of Paktia, who was convicted of killing a Taliban soldier.

Reports indicate that over the past month alone, the Taliban has publicly flogged 93 individuals, including 13 women, across various provinces on different charges. The provinces of Jawzjan, with 22 cases, and Khost, with 17 cases, have witnessed the highest number of floggings during this period.

The United Nations Human Rights Council and other international organizations have repeatedly called on the Taliban to cease public punishments, deeming them a violation of international human rights norms. However, the Taliban continues to enforce these practices as part of their strict interpretation of Sharia law.

These punishments highlight the increasing severity of the Taliban’s judicial policies and have drawn widespread condemnation from global rights groups.