Taliban Flogs Theft Suspect In Balkh, Sparks Rights Concerns

The Taliban’s Supreme Court announced that an individual accused of theft was publicly flogged in Kaldar district, Balkh province, on Wednesday, 26 March.

The court stated that the person received 37 lashes and was sentenced to one year and six months in prison following a ruling by local judicial authorities, approved by the Taliban’s highest court.

Details about the trial process, including whether the individual had legal representation, were not disclosed in the statement. The flogging was carried out in public, a practice the Taliban frequently employs across Afghanistan for those their courts deem guilty.

Such punishments have fuelled widespread fear and intimidation among Afghan communities. International human rights organisations have repeatedly criticised the Taliban’s justice system, highlighting the absence of fair trial mechanisms under their rule.