The Taliban have publicly flogged three individuals in Faryab province, continuing a sharp rise in corporal punishment across Afghanistan. Official statistics from their Supreme Court reveal that 37 people were lashed in just the first week of 2026 across ten provinces.
This represents a 68% increase in public punishments compared to the previous month. The floggings are being administered for alleged crimes such as theft, “illicit relations,” and alcohol sales in major regions including Kabul, Herat, and Nangarhar.
Human rights activists argue that this surge in public violence is a tactic to instill fear in the population. Citizens are increasingly concerned about the normalization of such brutal punishments and the lack of due process in the judicial system.
Taliban Increase Public Floggings in Early 2026
Cloudflare