Taliban Flog Six People, Including Two Women, in Public in Samangan and Balkh

Photo: © AP / The Independent

The Taliban Supreme Court has announced that six people, including two women, have been flogged in the provinces of Samangan and Balkh.

In statements released today, Tuesday (31 March) the court said these individuals had been convicted of “running away from home”, “adultery”, and “sodomy”.

According to the statements, in Samangan four individuals, including two women, were each sentenced to 39 lashes as a discretionary punishment, and their sentences were carried out in public after being approved by the Taliban Supreme Court.

Meanwhile, in Balkh, two individuals convicted of “sodomy” were sentenced to two years of enforced imprisonment and between 30 and 39 lashes, and the sentence was implemented after being approved by Taliban judicial authorities.

This comes as, since the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021, the implementation of corporal punishment in public has increased. Human rights organisations have repeatedly described these actions as violations of human dignity, particularly with regard to women.

It is worth noting that a day earlier, the Taliban also flogged several people, including a woman, in public in the provinces of Faryab and Daikundi on various charges.