The Taliban have significantly reduced public access to information regarding corporal punishments carried out under their judicial system, raising fresh concerns among human rights observers about transparency and accountability in Afghanistan.
According to findings from a recent investigation, the Taliban’s Supreme Court has largely stopped publicly and regularly disclosing details of flogging sentences since late April 2026, despite indications that such punishments continue to be implemented across the country.
The last publicly available announcement regarding a flogging sentence was reportedly issued on April 22, when Taliban judicial authorities stated that two individuals in Badakhshan province had each been sentenced to one year in prison and 39 lashes after being convicted on charges described as “extramarital affairs.”
The reduction in publicly available information came shortly after an investigative review examined thousands of official court statements, reports from international human rights organizations, and assessments by United Nations experts. The review concluded that more than 107,550 lashes had been administered in Afghanistan between the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021 and the end of March 2026.
According to judicial sources familiar with the matter, corporal punishment has not been discontinued. Instead, they claim details surrounding such punishments are no longer being released publicly with the same frequency and transparency as before.
Sources familiar with international monitoring efforts have also indicated that access to reliable data regarding corporal punishment has become increasingly restricted in recent weeks, making independent verification more difficult for organizations tracking human rights conditions in Afghanistan.
Available statistics suggest a notable increase in the use of flogging during 2025, with more than 1,100 individuals reportedly subjected to such sentences during the year alone. The punishments have frequently been linked to allegations including extramarital relationships, same-sex relations, and cases involving women accused of running away from home.
Human rights experts and United Nations officials have repeatedly criticized the use of corporal punishment, arguing that such practices violate fundamental principles of human dignity and may amount to cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment.
Among those raising concerns is Richard Bennett, who has previously called for an immediate end to public floggings and other corporal punishments. Rights advocates argue that these penalties are being implemented within a judicial system that lacks independent oversight and adequate due process safeguards.
Critics further contend that the extensive use of such punishments forms part of a broader system of social control and discrimination, particularly affecting women and vulnerable groups, while remaining inconsistent with Afghanistan’s international human rights obligations.
The latest concerns add to a growing body of allegations regarding conditions under Taliban rule. In recent days, former detainees and relatives of prisoners from across Afghanistan have also alleged torture, arbitrary arrests, and forced confessions inside Taliban detention facilities. Those accounts, alongside reports of corporal punishment and restrictions on access to information, have intensified scrutiny of Afghanistan’s human rights situation and renewed calls for greater transparency and accountability from Taliban authorities
