"Sexual harassment"

“Woman touched”: man flogged in Afghanistan

A man had to endure 25 lashes for touching a woman.(Bild: AFP)

The Taliban ruling Afghanistan ordered the flogging of a man accused of sexual harassment. He is said to have "touched a woman". The punishment was 25 lashes.

The flogging took place in public at the court complex in the northern province of Balch and was carried out in front of staff and residents. No further details were given.

The Taliban took power in Afghanistan again in August 2021. They run the country in an extremely authoritarian manner. Since the end of 2022, the Islamists have repeatedly attracted international criticism with public punishments and executions. Two floggings were announced just the previous week.

Full introduction of Sharia law announced
In March, the supreme Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada announced the complete introduction of Sharia law in Afghanistan.

In an audio message, he specifically mentioned punishments such as stoning and public floggings for crimes such as murder, robbery and adultery. Despite international criticism, Taliban officials emphasize that the implementation of Sharia law is crucial to reduce crime rates and ensure public safety.