Taliban to implement harsh punishments including public executions, amputations and flogging in Afghanistan

The Taliban has ordered judges to fully impose their strict interpretation of Sharia law in Afghanistan, which would likely include public executions, amputations, and flogging. 

Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said the command had been issued by Haibatullah Akhundzada, the man who has led the Taliban since 2016 and is Afghanistan's so-called 'Supreme Leader', referred to by the group as Amir ul Mu'mineen or 'Commander of the Faithful'. 

عالیقدر امیرالمؤمنین در یک نشست با قاضیان:
ــ دوسیه های دزدان، اختطافچیان و فتنه گران را به گونه دقیق برسی نماید.
ــ آن دوسیه ها که در آن تمام شرائط شرعی حد وقصاص تکمیل شده باشد، شما مکلف هستید که درآن حدود و قصاص را عملی نماید،
زیرا این حکم شریعت و امر من می باشد که واجب است.

— Zabihullah (..ذبـــــیح الله م ) (@Zabehulah_M33) November 13, 2022

"His Highness Amir al-Mu'minin in a meeting with the judges:
- Carefully examine the files of thieves, kidnappers and seditionists.
- Those files in which all the Shariah conditions of Hudud and Qisas have been fulfilled, you are obliged to implement Hadad and Qisas.
Because this is the ruling of Sharia and my command which is obligatory," Mujahid tweeted on Sunday. 

Sharia law within Islamic jurisprudence is very open-ended and is constantly debated by scholars.

Hardline governments are accused of using the most strict interpretations to oppress their populations, such as the Taliban when they ruled Afghanistan between 1996 and 2001. 

The Taliban seized Afghanistan again in August 2021 and initially attempted to project a more moderate image of themselves. 

Since then, they have imposed harsher policies that have restricted the basic rights of Afghans, especially Afghan women and children. Women have been dismissed from leadership positions, and girls have been prohibited from attending school in many provinces