The Taliban carried out a new wave of public floggings across six provinces in Afghanistan over the past three days, including punishments tied to the sale of tobacco-related products such as shisha. According to multiple statements from the Taliban Supreme Court, 11 individuals in Kabul were publicly flogged on Monday (November 17) for trafficking and selling narcotic tablets, alcoholic beverages, and shisha. Each received 39 lashes and prison sentences of up to one year. Additional public floggings took place on charges ranging from “illicit relationships” to theft.
A recent U.N. report documented 242 public floggings between July and September, reflecting a sharp rise in corporal punishment since the Taliban’s 2021 return to power. The enforcement actions highlight the Taliban’s tightening controls over all intoxicant-related products, which remain prohibited under their interpretation of Sharia law.