Posted on 12/01/2022 6:06:19 PM PST by nickcarraway
The Taliban returned to power last year - but have since failed to live up to their promises when it comes to women's rights.
Large crowds gathered in Afghanistan to watch the first public flogging gathered at a football stadium in the country since the Taliban were ousted more than two decades ago. In scenes described by one commentator as “just history repeating itself”, three women and nine men were beaten in front of hundreds of spectators at the orders of the religious extremist organisation, which returned to power in August.
The office of the governor of Logar province, south of the capital of Kabul, had invited “honourable scholars, mujahideen, elders, tribal leaders and local people” to the stadium in the town of Pul Alam in Logar. The invitations for the 9am event were extended via social media.
Those punished received between 21 and 39 lashes each, after being convicted in a local court of offences ranging from theft and adultery, an official in the governor’s office explained, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not permitted to share details with the media.
The official said hundreds of people attended the lashings, with a ban imposed on taking photos and video.
The office of the governor of Logar province, south of the capital of Kabul, had invited “honourable scholars, mujahideen, elders, tribal leaders and local people” to the stadium in the town of Pul Alam in Logar. The invitations for the 9am event were extended via social media.
Those punished received between 21 and 39 lashes each, after being convicted in a local court of offences ranging from theft and adultery, an official in the governor’s office explained, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not permitted to share details with the media.
The official said hundreds of people attended the lashings, with a ban imposed on taking photos and video.
The resumption of the brutal practice underlines the Taliban’s intention of sticking to their strict interpretation of Islamic law, or Sharia.
In a statement issued afterwards, Enayatullah Shuja, the deputy governor of Logar, said: “Sharia law is the only solution for problems in Afghanistan and must be implemented.”
Afghan journalist Tajuden Soroush tweeted a picture of the scene outside the stadium, commenting: "It’s all just history repeating itself. Like 1990s Taliban began public punishment."
Public lashings, together with public executions and stonings for purported crimes, were common during the first period of Taliban rule, from 1996 until 2001, at which point the militants were driven out after the US-led invasion of Afghanistan which followed the September 11 attacks.
After a 20-year insurgency, the Taliban finally returned to power in August 2021, coinciding with the chaotic withdrawal of US and other foreign troops from the country.
In the immediate aftermath of their second takeover of the country, the Taliban pledged to be more moderate and allow for women’s and minority rights.
However, they have since restricted rights and freedoms, including a ban on girl’s education beyond the sixth grade.
The first confirmed public lashing since last year’s Taliban takeover took place November 11, when 19 men and women received 39 lashes each for alleged theft, adultery and running away from home.
The Taliban have struggled in their transition from warfare to governing amid an economic downturn and the international community’s withholding of official recognition.
A report published by Human Rights Watch entitled Afghanistan: Events of 2021 states: “After the Taliban takeover, nearly 70 percent of all Afghan media outlets closed, and others were operating under threat and self-censoring.
“In September, the Taliban authorities imposed wide-ranging restrictions on media and free speech that included prohibitions on ‘insulting national figures’ and reports that could have a ‘negative impact on the public’s attitude.’
We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info
Large crowds gathered in Afghanistan to watch the first public flogging gathered at a football stadium in the country since the Taliban were ousted more than two decades ago. In scenes described by one commentator as “just history repeating itself”, three women and nine men were beaten in front of hundreds of spectators at the orders of the religious extremist organisation, which returned to power in August.
The office of the governor of Logar province, south of the capital of Kabul, had invited “honourable scholars, mujahideen, elders, tribal leaders and local people” to the stadium in the town of Pul Alam in Logar. The invitations for the 9am event were extended via social media.
Those punished received between 21 and 39 lashes each, after being convicted in a local court of offences ranging from theft and adultery, an official in the governor’s office explained, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not permitted to share details with the media.
The official said hundreds of people attended the lashings, with a ban imposed on taking photos and video.
In a statement issued afterwards, Enayatullah Shuja, the deputy governor of Logar, said: “Sharia law is the only solution for problems in Afghanistan and must be implemented.”
Afghan journalist Tajuden Soroush tweeted a picture of the scene outside the stadium, commenting: "It’s all just history repeating itself. Like 1990s Taliban began public punishment."
Public lashings, together with public executions and stonings for purported crimes, were common during the first period of Taliban rule, from 1996 until 2001, at which point the militants were driven out after the US-led invasion of Afghanistan which followed the September 11 attacks.
After a 20-year insurgency, the Taliban finally returned to power in August 2021, coinciding with the chaotic withdrawal of US and other foreign troops from the country.
In the immediate aftermath of their second takeover of the country, the Taliban pledged to be more moderate and allow for women’s and minority rights.
However, they have since restricted rights and freedoms, including a ban on girl’s education beyond the sixth grade.
The first confirmed public lashing since last year’s Taliban takeover took place November 11, when 19 men and women received 39 lashes each for alleged theft, adultery and running away from home.
The Taliban have struggled in their transition from warfare to governing amid an economic downturn and the international community’s withholding of official recognition.
A report published by Human Rights Watch entitled Afghanistan: Events of 2021 states: “After the Taliban takeover, nearly 70 percent of all Afghan media outlets closed, and others were operating under threat and self-censoring.
“On September 7, Taliban security forces detained two journalists from the Etilaat-e Roz media outlet and severely beat them in custody before releasing them. The reporters had been covering protests by women in Kabul. The Taliban detained at least 32 journalists after taking power in Kabul.
“Beginning on September 2, Afghan women carried out demonstrations in several cities to protest against Taliban policies violating women’s rights.
“In Herat, Taliban fighters lashed protesters and fired weapons indiscriminately to disperse the crowd, killing two men and wounding at least eight more. The Taliban subsequently banned protests that did not have prior approval from the Justice Ministry in Kabul.”
Was this before or after the FIFA match?
All those lives, treasure and war material to be right back where we were in Sept of ‘01. I hope I never hear the word ‘Afghanistan’ again.
Nation building in a tribal third world dump was insane.
We should have carpet bombed the crap out of them, salted the poppy fields, and used SpecOps and drones after the initial campaign.
They don’t want to be anything like us.
Which is always the way it was going to be. This is why I opposed that war from day one. No matter how long we were there, it would go back as soon as we left. History going back at least to Alexander the Great shows it.
The ninth circle of hell awaits you Joe Biden.
Possibility #1: Feminists worldwide will be outraged by this incident.
Possibility #2: Feminists will ignore this incident, and instead worry about some pronoun in some paper somewhere.
I’m going with Possibility #2.
[Those punished received between 21 and 39 lashes each, after being convicted in a local court of offences ranging from theft]
I’d guess 5%-8% of WalMart and grocery store “shoppers” wouldn’t survive.
Cashier at the local Aldi’s told me, just tonight, some guy comes in and steal every day he’s there.
Given the current state of America, the employees are probably powerless (unless they have some asset protection people too).
100%. Doomed from the first boot on the ground for reasons I’m not in the mood to get into and which you others all probably know anyway.
You got that right.
some guy comes in and stealS every day he’s there
darn it - rushing! LOL
All Cultures Equal
That article definatly needed repeating,and repeating,and repeating,,,,
They’re Moslems. What do you expect?
“Nation building in a tribal third world dump was insane.”
Lot’s of people got rich off of the taxpayers. That’s what freedom is all about.
To be truthful, the Afghan puppet government was never going to stand on its own. We should have never gone in. Thousands of American lives wasted and trillions of dollars poured down a rat hole.
Thieves were lucky they didn’t lose a hand.
If they had a beheading the could use it as a soccer ball.
Is there any reason why I should care about how the Afghans run Afghanistan?
To which I’d add: To hell with George W. Bush. He set the tone in Afghanistan. And as a result, we spent all that treasure and blood was spent for nothing.
But wait. It gets worse. Bush II wasn’t content with just botching the Afghanistan campaign. He had to go and start another war by invading Iraq.
I was elated when Bush II was declared the winner of the 2000 election. What a fool I was! If I’d known then what I know now, I’d have voted for Al Gore. I can’t see how he would have done any worse.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.