A man and a woman have been stoned to death in Afghanistan’s north-eastern Badakhshan province for having illegal Sexual relations.
The Taliban official in the province confirmed the news in a statement on Wednesday, February 16, 2022.
According to the official, the two were stoned in a sharia court for having illegal relations.
The official added that the two confessed to having illegal relations and they had been sexually involved for two to three times before they were caught.
The alleged stoning took place publicly in the Nasi district of the province and it was reportedly ordered by a Taliban commander, Hasht-e Subh reported.
According to the sharia law, Muslim men and women were not allowed to have sexual intercourse outside marriage.
It also states that if a married man has sex with a married woman and there were four witnesses, the couple should be stoned.
Commenting on the matter, Muezuddin Ahmadi, who is in charge of the province’s information and culture department, said the issue was under investigation and promised serious action against the perpetrators of the stoning.
The Taliban are fighting for recognition on the international stage after having seized power in August, partly in a bid to access aid funds and money stashed abroad.
In spite of assurances that they will respect human rights, many lower-ranking officers have meted out gruesome punishments in recent months.
The rights situation across the country has deteriorated since the Taliban takeover.
Most female students were blocked from attending secondary schools and most women have not been allowed to return to their jobs.
Men are encouraged to grow beards and wear traditional Afghan clothing while in government offices. Music has been banned in the media.
Critics who protest against these restrictions are currently facing harassment or imprisonment.
