Flogging: The Taliban’s Brutal Justice and Afghanistan’s Descent into Fear
By Akeem Alao
File Source: Google
In a chilling display of medieval punishment, Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities publicly flogged six people on Tuesday, convicting them of offenses such as adultery, sodomy, and eloping, according to a report.
These punishments, carried out in the southeastern Khost and northern Faryab provinces, were meted out to each individual who received 39 lashes alongside prison sentences of up to 18 months.
Since the beginning of February, at least 61 Afghans—including nine women—have suffered the same fate, beaten in sports stadiums before crowds of Taliban officials and ordinary citizens. According to the country’s Supreme Court, these individuals faced accusations of adultery, eloping, sodomy, and robbery, with many also handed prison terms ranging from several months to six years.
This brutal spectacle is a stark reminder of the Taliban’s unwavering commitment to their draconian interpretation of Sharia law.
Flogging in public spaces is not just a punishment; it is a message—a chilling assertion of control meant to instill fear and reinforce an oppressive moral order. The world watches in horror as Afghanistan slides deeper into authoritarian rule, where justice is measured in lashes and public humiliation replaces due process.
While the Taliban insists these punishments align with Islamic law, many argue they are a tool of repression, disproportionately targeting the vulnerable, particularly women. The absence of fair trials and legal representation raises fundamental questions about the legitimacy of these convictions. How many of these victims were coerced into confessions? How many had no means to defend themselves?
Beyond the physical agony inflicted, the psychological trauma of such public punishments is immeasurable. These floggings are not just acts of violence but also acts of degradation, stripping individuals of their dignity and branding them as criminals before their own communities.
The international community must not turn a blind eye to Afghanistan’s descent into fear and repression. Public floggings are a grotesque violation of human rights, and history will judge those who remain silent. The question is: how much longer will the world tolerate this brutality before taking meaningful action?
