UN Calls On Taliban To Immediately Halt Death Penalty

The UN special rapporteur on human rights for Afghanistan condemned the execution of a man in Paktia and called on the Taliban to immediately stop "cruel punishments".

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Kabul (UNAMA) too said that public executions are contrary to Afghanistan's international human rights obligations and must be stopped.

The Taliban on Wednesday announced that they had publicly executed a man in the capital of Paktia province on charges of "premeditated murder".

"I condemn today's horrific public execution at a sports stadium in Gardez, Afghanistan, as well as other corporal punishments and executions carried out by the Taliban," Richard Bennett, the UN special rapporteur on human rights for Afghanistan, wrote in a response on social media platform X.

"I call on the Taliban to immediately stop these cruel punishments, which are a clear violation of human rights," he added.

In a note, UNAMA also stressed on the need to stop executions in Afghanistan. "Public executions are contrary to Afghanistan's international human rights obligations and must stop," UNAMA said.

UNAMA has also called for respect for the legal process for fair trials.

On Wednesday, November 13, the Taliban's Supreme Court announced that it had executed a man at the Gardez Stadium, the capital of Paktia province, on charges of premeditated murder in the presence of senior officials of the group.

Sirajuddin Haqqani and Khalil-ur-Rehman Haqqani, the Taliban's interior and refugee ministers, were present at the execution, the court said.

Recently, the Taliban's Supreme Court announced that it has executed five people since the group's return to power.

The Taliban has said that about 30 more death sentences are awaiting final approval by Taliban leader Mullah Hibatullah.