The Guardian: Afghan Women Publicly Flogged by Taliban After Forced Confessions

Photo: AP

The British newspaper The Guardian, in collaboration with Zan Times, an Afghan news agency, has published a report detailing the arrest, forced confessions, and punishment of women by the Taliban.

The report, published today, Tuesday (May 6), features the accounts of three Afghan women who were detained without having committed any specific crime and were publicly flogged after being coerced into confessions.

One of the women, named Diba, said she was arrested twice by the Taliban simply for leaving her home without a male guardian. The first time, she was held for four nights. Three months later, she was arrested again while visiting a restaurant without a male escort and spent 20 days in prison. During this second detention, Diba was sentenced to 28 lashes. However, the Taliban released her after one week so that the wounds would be less visible.

The report also recounts the story of a 22-year-old woman from a western province of Afghanistan who was detained by the Taliban’s morality police while traveling with her cousin. Under pressure, she was forced to falsely confess to being in a “relationship,” and she was threatened that her cousin would be killed if she refused.

Another case in the report involves a 16-year-old girl who was arrested for not having a male guardian and sentenced to 39 lashes. Her family stated that the experience caused severe psychological trauma and resulted in frequent nervous breakdowns.

According to the report, since the Taliban's return to power in 2021, more than 1,000 people have been publicly flogged, with at least 200 of them being women.

However, it is believed that the actual number of summary trials and punishments is significantly higher than what has been reported.