Afghanistan Times
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KABUL — Four men were publicly executed across three provinces in Afghanistan on Friday, marking the highest number of executions carried out in a single day since the Taliban regained control in 2021, the country’s Supreme Court confirmed.
The executions took place in sports stadiums in Badghis, Nimroz, and Farah provinces. The Supreme Court said all the men had been sentenced to “retaliatory punishment” — a form of qisas or “eye-for-an-eye” justice — after being found guilty of murder.
According to witnesses in Qala-i-Naw, the capital of Badghis province, two men were shot multiple times by relatives of their victims in front of a crowd. “They were made to sit and turn their backs to us. Relatives stood behind and shot them,” said Mohammad Iqbal Rahimyar, a 48-year-old spectator.
A third man was executed in Zaranj, the capital of Nimroz, and a fourth in the city of Farah. Official notices had been widely shared the previous day, inviting the public to attend the events.
“If the family of the victim had forgiven the men it would be better, otherwise it’s God’s order, and should be implemented,” said one man outside the stadium in Badghis.
Friday’s executions bring the total number of public executions to ten since the Taliban’s return to power. The last took place in November 2024 in Paktia province.
Under Taliban rule, corporal punishments such as flogging have become common for crimes including theft, adultery, and alcohol consumption. All death sentences must be approved by Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, who in 2022 instructed judges to fully implement the Taliban’s interpretation of Islamic law.
Amnesty International condemned Friday’s executions, calling them a “gross affront to human dignity.” The group and other rights organizations have raised repeated concerns over the lack of fair trial standards and transparency in Afghanistan’s judicial system under the Taliban.
Afghanistan was listed among countries where death sentences were issued following trials that did not meet international standards, according to Amnesty’s 2024 annual report. The report noted a global rise in executions, largely driven by Iran, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia.
