Taliban court publicly whips woman for illicit relationship

A Taliban court publicly flogged a woman in Afghanistan’s northern province of Faryab for having an illegitimate relationship and running away from home.

In a statement, the Taliban’s Supreme Court announced on Monday, said that the woman received a punishment of 30 lashes and was sentenced to six months in prison.

In Afghanistan, any kind of sexual relationship outside marriage is illegal.

Girls running away from home in most cases face severe punishment by the family.

In a separate case over the weekend, two individuals in the southern Kandahar province were publicly whipped for committing sodomy, the court said.

Both received 30 lashes and one-year prison sentences.

The Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan has seen the reintroduction of corporal punishment, including executions and public flogging, for crimes such as murder, robbery and adultery.

The UN has criticised the Taliban’s use of corporal punishment, saying it violates the UN Convention against Torture and has called for an end to the practice.

The Taliban authorities have rejected the criticism, saying this form of punishment is in line with the country’s law and necessary to ensure security and safety for the public.