Afghan Witness Archives - Centre for Information Resilience

Violence Public punishments Sharia Taliban

Dec 20

Taliban enforce first Hadd punishment with public flogging in Parwan

Man lashed 80 times for false adultery claim as Taliban begin enforcing severe Sharia punishments.

Violence Public punishments Women's rights

Apr 30

Audio clip from Taliban leader addresses stoning of Afghan women

In audio clips circulated online in March, the Taliban’s Supreme Leader emphasised the strict implementation of Sharia punishments and spoke of harsher punishments for women.

Public punishments Investigations

Nov 28

One year of Sharia punishments

Afghan Witness' in-depth analysis of judicial practices and human rights implications under Taliban rule

Investigations Media Education Security Violence Public punishments Arrests Women's rights Resistance Protests

Aug 14

Two years of Taliban rule: documenting human rights abuses using open source

Report by Afghan Witness details more than 3,000 claims of human rights violations in Afghanistan under Taliban rule

Public punishments

Jul 3

Public execution of an alleged Taliban member charged with murder

The incident marks the second official public execution sanctioned by the Taliban's Supreme Court since 2022 – though visual evidence has been limited.

Public punishments

Mar 17

Taliban display bodies of alleged ‘kidnappers’, ‘insurgents’ and ‘thieves’

In recent weeks, there has been a spate of incidents in Mazar-i-Sharif and Herat city in which the Taliban have displayed the bodies of men they describe as ‘kidnappers’, ‘insurgents’ or ‘thieves’.

Public punishments

Jan 30

Video emerges of flogging in Kandahar

While there have been many claims of public punishments in Afghanistan over the past four months, this was the first instance where AW investigators obtained visual confirmation.

Public punishments

Feb 25

Taliban hangs bodies of ‘kidnappers’ in Herat – at least one claimed to be former government security personnel

Afghan Witness’s OSINT team has geolocated three bodies of alleged kidnappers that were publicly displayed by the Taliban, and also spoke to the friend of one of the individuals killed - who is reportedly former Afghan military personnel.