Date: 30/11/1403

Implementation of Discretionary Criminal Sentences Against Three Defendants in Khost Province
Based on the ruling of the Primary Court of Bak District in Khost Province, dated 18/08/1446 Hijri Qamari, discretionary criminal sentences were executed against three individuals accused of sodomy and murder at the premises of the mentioned court.
The Primary Court sentenced two of the defendants to one year of enforceable imprisonment and 39 lashes each, while the third defendant was sentenced to five years of enforceable imprisonment and 39 lashes. This ruling was implemented following its approval by the Supreme Court.
The discretionary punishments were carried out in the presence of Honorable Mufti Aminullah (Munib), Chief Judge of the Appellate Court of Khost Province, along with his accompanying delegation, judicial personnel, civil and military staff, and a large number of local residents.
The gathering concluded with prayers following the execution of the sentences.

The execution of imprisonment and corporal punishment against three defendants in Khost Province illustrates the consolidation of discretionary punishment within Taliban judicial practice, including for offenses carrying severe stigma and gravity. The combination of custodial sentences and lashings for charges of “sodomy” and murder, carried out within court premises and before a public audience, reflects an approach that prioritizes exemplary punishment and moral signaling over proportionality or procedural safeguards. The involvement of senior appellate judicial figures further underscores the institutional endorsement of these practices.