Afghanistan: Taliban Leader Orders Sharia Law Punishments Including ‘Public Amputations, Stoning’

Taliban leader Haibatullah Akhundzada's obligatory order on Sharia law punishments came after he met with a group of judges on Sunday.

Taliban leader Haibatullah Akhundzada has ordered Afghan judges to impose punishments for certain crimes that may include public amputations and stoning.

The obligatory order came after Akhundzada met with a group of judges on Sunday, informed Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid through a tweet on Sunday, according to the BBC report. "Carefully examine the files of thieves, kidnappers and seditionists," Mujahid quoted Akhundzada as saying in the report.

Crimes such as robbery, kidnapping, and sedition must be punished in line with the group's interpretation of Islamic Sharia law, the spokesperson added.

The supreme leader said judges must punish criminals according to the Sharia if the offence is a violation of those laws.

Even as the exact crimes and punishments have not been defined clearly, the report quoted a religious leader in Afghanistan saying under Sharia law, penalties could include amputations, public lashings, and stoning.

Taliban condemned for punishments during power in 1990s

Taliban had been criticised for such punishments during its rule in the 1990s that included public executions. However, the extremist group promised to rule more moderately after they seized power last year.

The group has been continuously cracking down on freedoms, particularly women's rights. The latest order once again shows the tougher stance of the group on rights and freedoms.

Last week, women were banned from visiting parks in Kabul which took them farther from public life. The ban seems to extend to women in the capital visiting public baths and gyms, although the latter witnessed relatively few women.

Entry to parks, baths, and gyms was already segregated under Taliban rules based on gender. The group claims Islamic laws were not being followed.

The levels of violence have fallen across Afghanistan since foreign troops pulled out after 20 years of war, in the face of the Taliban advance in the summer of 2021.