UN Experts Condemn Taliban’s Surge in Public Floggings

The UN experts urged the global community to respond more forcefully to the worsening human rights situation in Afghanistan.

United Nations human rights experts have condemned the Taliban’s escalating use of public corporal punishment in Afghanistan, warning that the practice violates international law and may amount to torture.

In a new statement, UN experts said the Taliban’s judicially sanctioned punishments — including public floggings for so-called moral offences — represent serious breaches of human dignity, physical integrity, and fundamental human rights protections.

“Corporal punishment is an offence against human dignity and physical integrity,” the experts said.

“Depending on its severity, it would amount to cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment and/or torture. It should be halted immediately.”

Sharp Increase in Public Floggings

The UN experts reported a dramatic rise in public floggings since the Taliban returned to power in August 2021, with 2025 recording the highest number yet.

According to Afghanistan’s de facto Supreme Court, at least 1,110 people were publicly flogged in 2025, including:

• 940 men

• 170 women

This nearly doubles the number recorded in 2024, when 567 individuals were flogged.

Early figures for 2026 suggest the trend is continuing.

In January 2026 alone, authorities reported 162 people flogged, including:

• 147 men

• 15 women

This represents one of the highest monthly totals since the Taliban formally resumed the practice in late 2022.

Punishments for “Moral Crimes”

Most of those punished are men accused of offences such as theft, drug or alcohol use, and gambling.

However, the experts warned that women, girls, and LGBT+ individuals face a disproportionate risk of punishment under vague “moral crime” accusations.

These include allegations of:

• Adultery

• “Illicit relationships”

• “Sodomy”

The experts said such punishments reflect institutionalised gender-based discrimination and are incompatible with Afghanistan’s obligations under international law.

“The use of corporal punishment for so-called moral crimes is a manifestation of a broader system of institutionalised gender-based discrimination and control,” they said.

Public Floggings Carried Out Before Crowds

Floggings typically involve 39 lashes and are often combined with prison sentences.

They are carried out publicly by Taliban officials, with local residents — including children — often required to attend.

Human rights monitors say the practice is intended to serve as a public warning and demonstration of authority.

However, the UN experts warned that the punishments are imposed through a judicial system that lacks independence and basic legal safeguards.

“We are appalled that corporal punishment sentences are being imposed in a judicial system that lacks independence, due process guarantees and other fundamental safeguards,” the experts said.

Concerns Over New Taliban Court Rules

The experts also raised alarm about new “criminal rules of courts” introduced in January 2026, warning they could further expand the use of corporal punishments.

They said the legal framework lacks transparency and does not provide adequate protection for defendants’ rights.

Death Penalty Also Under Scrutiny

The UN experts also condemned the execution of 12 men in Afghanistan since the Taliban returned to power.

They called for an immediate moratorium on executions and a review of the death penalty’s application under international law, including steps toward its abolition.

Violations of International Treaties

Afghanistan remains a party to several international human rights treaties that prohibit corporal punishment and other forms of cruel treatment, including:

• The Convention Against Torture

• The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights

• The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women

“The de facto authorities are bound by Afghanistan’s obligations under those treaties,” the experts said.

Call for Stronger International Response

The UN experts urged the global community to respond more forcefully to the worsening human rights situation in Afghanistan.

“The international community must speak out more forcefully on the human rights crisis in Afghanistan,” they said.

They called for demands that Taliban authorities:

• Guarantee due process protections

• Implement a moratorium on corporal punishment

• Halt the death penalty

• Move toward abolishing these practices entirely

“Punishments carried out without due process, and which themselves constitute human rights violations, cannot be considered justice,” the experts said.