The spokesperson for OHCHR, Jeremy Laurence, expressed disgust at the recent public executions of three individuals at sports stadiums in Afghanistan.

“He stated that the practice of publicly executing individuals is a violation of their human rights.”

He stated that the act of publicly executing people goes against their human rights, as it is a cruel, inhuman, and degrading form of punishment.

These executions are not fair and go against the right to life outlined in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which Afghanistan has agreed to. They need to stop immediately.

Individuals who were shot more than once.

The Office reported that the executions in Ghazni and Sheberghan cities were conducted with the presence of officials from the de facto court and members of the public. The convicted individuals were allegedly subjected to multiple gunshots.

The act of carrying out such executions lacks justification and goes against the right to life which is safeguarded by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, of which Afghanistan is a member. It should be stopped immediately.

Following the Taliban’s seizure of power in August 2021, five individuals have been publicly put to death based on rulings from the unofficial court system and sanctioned by the Taliban’s head.

“Considering these significant issues, we implore the governing authorities to promptly implement a temporary halt on all future executions, and to expeditiously reject the utilization of capital punishment in its entirety,” stated the spokesperson for the Office.

End public flogging

According to the spokesperson, the ruling authorities are still carrying out physical punishments in public, which is considered to be a type of harsh or degrading treatment and is against international human rights laws.

The speaker mentioned two separate events from Sunday where individuals were punished for immoral actions. In Laghman, a 12-year-old boy and a man were publicly flogged with the presence of unofficial leaders. In Balkh province, a man and woman were also publicly flogged 35 times for running away and engaging in adultery.

He stated that corporal punishment should be stopped.

The spokesperson stated that in a broader sense, they urge the de facto authorities to guarantee the protection of fair trials and due process for individuals facing criminal charges, especially in terms of having access to legal representation.

Source: news.un.org