Amnesty International expresses concern over continued physical punishments in Afghanistan

KABUL: Amnesty International has raised alarms about the ongoing implementation of physical punishments in Afghanistan, particularly their impact on women. Several Afghan women and girls, who have faced Taliban violence, report suffering from mental and psychological disorders due to the traumatic events they have experienced. These women spoke out about the effects of Taliban violence on their lives, coinciding with Amnesty International’s recent announcement that physical punishments in Afghanistan are carried out without legal processes, judicial access, or protection for victims and their families. On August 16, the organization noted on its X page that victims of these punishments, especially women, not only face violence and punishment in public but also endure inhumane treatment, discrimination, and humiliation within society. Since the Taliban’s return to power, the government has resumed physical punishments and public executions reminiscent of its previous rule. The Taliban’s Supreme Court reported on August 9 that in the past month, 81 men and women had been subjected to punitive measures in public across Afghanistan. The court’s spokesperson stated that in the past four months, punitive measures had been applied to 340 individuals labeled as accused and criminals across 27 provinces. While the Taliban insists that these punishments are in accordance with Islamic law, legal experts, human rights advocates, and international organizations have condemned them as “unjust.” They argue that Afghanistan lacks a legitimate democratic system and an independent, fair judiciary that operates under the oversight of credible institutions. Additionally, families of those they claim have been imprisoned and tortured report that the Taliban government has neither laws to enforce these punishments nor provides access to defense lawyers for the accused.