A court in Afghanistan’s northern Faryab province publicly lashed a woman for having an illicit relationship and running away from home, the Taliban’s Supreme Court announced Monday.
In a statement, the court said the woman was given a punishment of 30 lashes and sentenced to six months in prison.
In Afghanistan, any form of sexual relationship outside of marriage is illegal. Girls who run away from home are in most cases severely punished by the family.
In a separate case, two people in the southern province of Kandahar were publicly flogged last weekend for committing sodomy, the court said. Both received thirty lashes and a one-year prison sentence.
The return of the Taliban to Afghanistan has led to the reintroduction of corporal punishment, including executions and public flogging, for crimes such as murder, theft and adultery.
The United Nations has criticized the Taliban’s use of corporal punishment, saying it violates the UN Convention against Torture, and has called for an end to the practice.
Taliban authorities have rejected the criticism, saying this form of punishment is in line with the country’s law and is necessary to ensure the safety of the public.