The Taliban have publicly whipped a total of 11 women and 19 men in the two provinces of Parwan and Nangarhar, local sources tell Zan Times. The punishment comes a day after at least 20 Taliban officials, including five acting ministers, gathered in Farah city to celebrate the public execution of a man accused of murder in the city’s sports stadium.
In Parwan province, the Taliban whipped 10 women and 17 men in the sports stadium of Charikar, the provincial capital, eyewitnesses tell Zan Times.
One of these witnesses says that the Taliban used force to get people inside the sports stadium to witness the implementation of the Taliban’s orders. The 27 men and women were aged between 29 and 39, another source tells Zan Times, and were accused of stealing, running away from home, having sex outside of marriage or selling guns. After being whipped, some were sent to prison, the source says.
Meanwhile, in Nangarhar province, the Taliban whipped two men and a woman on charges of having extra-marital sex in Goshti district.
Three weeks ago, the Taliban supreme leader, Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada, ordered the full implementation of “hudud and qisas punishments.” In the Taliban’s interpretation, “hudud and qisas” can include lashing, amputating, and stoning to death in front of public crowds. On Dec.4, Zan Times reported that the regime had publicly flogged at least 60 people in five provinces across Afghanistan in the previous two weeks, according to an analysis of media reports, in addition to yesterday’s execution. With these new floggings, the total rises to 90.
The public punishments have been condemned by a large number of international organizations, countries and human rights organizations.
Antonio Guterres, the secretary-general of the United Nations, expressed concern about the Taliban execution and demanded the suspension of the death penalty in Afghanistan.
Ned Price, the spokesperson of the U.S. State Department, has also said that the performance of the Taliban shows that this group wants to return to its ugly performance in the 1990s. Price also called this execution by the Taliban a disrespect to the dignity and human rights values of all Afghans and said that it clearly shows their failure to keep their commitments.
David Martinon, the French ambassador to Afghanistan, said that with this event in Farah, the Talibanization of Afghanistan was complete.
