Amidst growing international concern, Taliban publicly flogs criminals, chops off hands

There have been concerns that have been raised internationally about the flogging in public by the Taliban. The UN experts say that they are aggrieved by such incidents and have called for an immediate halt of the same

Kabul. Jan 18: In an act of brutality the Taliban in Afghanistan publicly flogged nine convicted of robbery and sodomy at the Ahmad Shahi Stadium in Kandahar.

The Supreme court said in a statement that nine persons were punished in Ahmad Shahi Stadium in Kandahar on Tuesday on robbery charges and sodomy, Tolo News said in a tweet.

During the flogging, local authorities and Kandahar residents were present. The spokesperson for the provincial governor, Haji Zaid said that the convicts were lashed 35-39 times.

According to former policy advisor to minister for Afghan resettlement and minister for refugees in the UK, Shabnam Nasim, the Taliban had cut off the hands of four people in the football stadium.

Nasim said in a tweet, "the Taliban have reportedly cut off the hands of 4 people in a football stadium in Kandahar today, accused of theft, in front of spectators. People are being lashed, amputated & executed in Afghanistan, without fair trial and due process. This is a human rights violation."

The Taliban has resumed flogging and public execution of criminals following a decree by the hard liners' supreme leader, despite international condemnation. Experts at the UN said that they are deeply aggrieved about a public execution and that flogging has resumed in Afghanistan.

"Since November 18, 2022, the de facto authorities have reportedly carried out floggings of over 100 individuals, both women and men, in several provinces including Takhar, Logar, Laghman, Parwan and Kabul. Each was given between 20 and 100 lashes for alleged crimes including theft, 'illegitimate' relationships or violating social behaviour codes. While the criminalisation of relationships outside of wedlock seems gender-neutral, in practice, punishment is overwhelmingly directed against women and girls. The flogging has been carried out in stadiums in the presence of officials and members of the public," the UN experts said in a statement.

The Taliban had on December 7 2022 publicly executed a man in the Farah city. This was the first instance of a public execution by the Taliban since it took over in August 2021.

"Senior de facto officials, including the Deputy Prime Minister and Chief Justice, were in attendance. The application of these punishments began after the Supreme Leader on November 13, 2022 ordered the judiciary to implement Hudood (crimes against God) and Qisas (retribution in kind) punishments across the country," the statement added.

"We are additionally raising doubts about the fairness of the trials preceding these punishments, which appear not to satisfy basic fair trial guarantees. International human rights law prohibits the implementation of such cruel sentences, especially the death penalty, following trials that apparently do not offer the required fair trial guarantees,"the UN experts also said.