Taliban Court Orders Public Flogging of Seven Men in Laghman Province

The Taliban Supreme Court has punished seven individuals in Laghman province with corporal punishment on charges of sodomy and theft. The authority announced in a statement on Tuesday, February 2, that these punishments were carried out publicly.

According to the statement, six of the men were each sentenced to one year in prison and 39 lashes. The seventh individual was sentenced to two years in prison, the court said.

The Taliban administration added that one day prior, three men were flogged in Faryab province and two others in Paktia province; these actions were also conducted in public spaces.

Human rights organizations have repeatedly warned about the consequences of such punishments. Human Rights Watch stated in its annual report that the Taliban has increased the use of corporal punishment against citizens, a practice critics say violates human dignity and principles of fair trial.