The Kabul Tribune (KT) — The Taliban Supreme Court said that punitive sentences have been enforced on several individuals across different provinces in Afghanistan based on rulings from primary courts.
In Lalpuri district of Nangarhar province, a primary court
convicted a man of adultery and sentenced him to corporal punishment along with
two years of imprisonment. The sentence, originally issued on December 31, 2025,
was carried out after confirmation by the Supreme Court.
In Charchino district of Uruzgan province, six individuals
were convicted of theft and sodomy, and another person was found guilty of
unlawfully entering another’s home. They received prison terms ranging from one
to two years and corporal punishments of 39 lashes each. These sentences, dated
January 1, 2025, were enforced following the Supreme Court’s approval.
In Shahr-i district of Balkh province, a man convicted of
selling alcohol was sentenced to one year and ten months in prison and 39
lashes on December 30, 2025. The punishment was carried out in the presence of
court officials, security personnel, religious scholars, lawyers, and members
of the public.
Background: Under the Taliban’s criminal justice framework,
primary court rulings cannot be enforced without confirmation from the Supreme
Court. Reports from Afghan human rights monitors and international
organizations indicate that the Taliban’s punitive policies, particularly the
implementation of public corporal punishments, violate international standards.
The United Nations, Human Rights Watch, and Amnesty International have
repeatedly expressed concern over restrictions on the rights of women, girls,
and other vulnerable groups, as well as the public enforcement of corporal
sentences.
