Taliban Flog 18 Individuals, Including Four Women, in Khost Province

The Taliban’s Supreme Court has announced that 18 individuals, including four women, were flogged in Khost province.

In a press release, the court stated that the flogging sentences were carried out on Sunday, February 23, against these individuals.

According to the press release, these individuals were convicted of charges of “sodomy” and “illicit relationships,” with each sentenced to 39 lashes and one to seven years of imprisonment.

Since the Taliban’s return to power, the implementation of corporal punishment in public has increased. The Taliban’s Supreme Court almost daily reports on the execution of public floggings, an action that human rights organizations consider a violation of international laws and human dignity, and they have repeatedly called for its cessation.