GENEVA - The Taliban's increasing use of judicially-sanctioned corporal punishment, inflicted in public, often for so called moral crimes in Afghanistan, violates international human rights law, UN experts* warned today.
"Corporal punishment is an offence against human dignity and physical integrity, and, depending on its severity, would amount to cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment and/or torture. It should be halted immediately," the experts said.
In 2025 alone, more men and women were subjected to public flogging than in all previous years combined since the Taliban returned to power in 2021. Early indications in 2026 suggest that the rate of such punishments may continue to escalate.
In 2025, Afghanistan's de facto Supreme Court announced public "floggings" of at least 1,110 individuals, including at least 940 men and 170 women. This nearly doubles the number of individuals subjected to such punishments in 2024, with at least 567 individuals (at least 480 men and 87 women) flogged.
In January 2026, the de facto Supreme Court reported the public flogging of 147 men and 15 women, one of the highest monthly totals since the practice began officially in late 2022. The overwhelming majority are men accused of crimes such as theft, selling or using drugs and alcohol, and gambling. However, women, girls, and LGBT+ persons face a heightened risk of punishment for so-called "moral" crimes such as adultery, "illicit relationships", and "sodomy." The experts stressed that the use of corporal punishment for so-called moral crimes is a manifestation of a broader system of institutionalised gender-based discrimination and control, incompatible with Afghanistan's international obligations.
According to the experts, official records do not include the ages of the victims, nor is there any information about their mental and intellectual capacity. There have also been cases of children being flogged. Corporal punishment, often 39 lashes, is frequently combined with sentences of imprisonment. The floggings are carried out in public by Taliban officials, with local residents, including children, compelled to attend.
"We are appalled that corporal punishment sentences are being imposed in a judicial system that lacks independence, due process guarantees and other fundamental safeguards, as well as other serious deficiencies that fail to address the legitimate grievances of victims," the experts said.
They warned that the "criminal rules of courts" published in January 2026 could further expand the use of such illegal penalties.
The experts also condemned the execution of 12 men in Afghanistan after the Taliban retook power and called for an immediate moratorium and a review of the application of the death penalty in line international law requirements, including considering its abolition.
Afghanistan is a state party to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, both of which prohibit conduct amounting to corporal punishment. The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against also makes it clear that women are protected against violence.
"The de facto authorities are bound by Afghanistan's obligations under those treaties," the experts said.
"Punishments carried out without due process, and which themselves constitute human rights violations, cannot be considered justice," they said.
"The international community must speak out more forcefully on the human rights crisis in Afghanistan," the experts said. "This must include demanding due process guarantees and insisting on a moratorium on corporal and capital punishment with a view to their abolition."
