The Taliban media office in Khost province says a man sentenced to death will be publicly executed on Tuesday at the provincial stadium, a decision that comes despite repeated United Nations appeals to end capital punishment in Afghanistan.
Mostaghfar Gurbaz, spokesperson for the Taliban appointed governor in Khost, urged residents not to bring smartphones, cameras or weapons to the venue. Officials released no details about the convicted man or the charges, saying only that the case arose from a “tragic incident” in the Alisher and Terezi districts.
If the execution goes ahead, it will be the twelfth public execution carried out by the Taliban since they returned to power. Eleven others have taken place in Farah, Laghman, Ghazni, Jawzjan, Badghis and Nimroz provinces, often in front of large crowds.
After the recent execution of four people in Farah, Badghis and Nimroz, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan said the Taliban were violating the fundamental right to life and repeated its call for an immediate end to the death penalty.
The Taliban foreign ministry rejected the UN appeal, calling it an “audacious insult” to Islamic rulings. The ministry insisted that capital punishment is a non negotiable part of Islamic Sharia and urged UNAMA to avoid such criticism.
The growing use of public executions has drawn strong condemnation from international organisations and several governments.
