Taliban flog 4 men on robbery charge

KABUL militants publicly flogged four men on robbery charges in the Khogyani district of eastern Nangarhar province, residents said on Saturday.

The whipping took place in Nakorkhel area after Friday prayers, said Irshad, a resident of the area, identifying the four men as Abdul Wahab, Misbahullah, Qayyum and Naqib.

The four had been accused of robbing a shop in the area, said the resident, who explained the shop owner, Spin, had complained to local Taliban about the incident.

The Taliban detained the four men and later whipped them in front of some 500 people, Irshad said.

A resident of Momlai area, where the whipping took place, told Pajhwok Afghan News on condition of anonymity that each accused received 40 lashes.

The Taliban in a statement confirmed they had publicly whipped four robbers under Shariah law.

It said the four men had been detained with the stolen goods few days ago in Nakorkhel area.

A Taliban court found the four guilty and ordered to be punished after Friday’s prayers. Each was flogged 27 lashes, the statement said.

The governor’s house in a statement expressed unawareness about the incident. A political expert and human rights activist, Khoshal Khalil, said such incidents occurred due to a fragile government’s writ and absence of courts in much of the province.

He told Pajhwok Afghan News most residents resolved their problems and disputes through traditional jirgas or approaching the Taliban.

But he said Taliban’s kangaroo courts did not grant the accused the right of defence, they trampled on human rights and punished the innocent in most cases.

He urged the government to expand its writ and establish courts in remote areas in order to counter such kangaroo courts.

The whipping comes about a month after the Taliban hanged a security official in the district.

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