By Somaia Valizadeh

 

Women are flogged for laughing, talking and leaving the house without a Mahram. (In Islamic law, Mahram means a person who you are not allowed to marry, and it is permissible to see them without a headscarf).

 

Punishment of females by the Taliban

 

Although before the fall of democracy, the Taliban in the areas under their control have repeatedly whipped women in front of men for the crime of choosing a wife without the consent of the family, but now this group has whipped women and men in city centers and public places such as sports stadiums and they also invite men to watch.

 

In the last two weeks, the Taliban have flogged more than 25 men and women in Afghanistan for talking on the phone to each other, women going out without a mahram and also for disobeying the violent regulations they have imposed on women.

 

Lashing of 14 people in Pul Alam

 

The Taliban group announced on Wednesday, November 23, that they lashed 14 people, including three women, at the football stadium of the city of Pul Alam in the capital of Logar province.

 

The Taliban group published a notice on Twitter and wrote that these people were accused of adultery, robbery, and other crimes and the sentence was executed on them, and according to local Taliban officials in Logar, the accused were whipped between 21 and 39 times.

 

Reporters and the media were not allowed to cover the lashing of the accused, and only one photo attributed to the incident has been published on social media, showing a large crowd gathered to watch.

 

Lashing days later in Takhar

 

The Taliban court announced on Saturday, November 28, that 19 people, including 9 women, were lashing in Takhar province. In the announcement of this court, the reason for the execution of the lashing sentence is “admonition to the criminals and learning a lesson from others“.

 

The Taliban group also announced that on Saturday, November 19, a woman and a man were lashed in the capital of Laghman province in the presence of Taliban officials and people for having sex outside of marriage.

 

Whipping men and women in public is cruel and shows the return of the Taliban to the harsh policies of their previous regime.

 

Crime against humanity

 

This group has completely violated international laws against torture and ill-treatment.

 

International and human rights organizations had strong reactions and criticism of the Taliban‘s lashing of Afghan women and called it a crime against humanity and an inhuman act.

 

 

Thomas Büsch

Filmmaker and Project Manager Kite Runner

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