Date: 17/11/1403

Implementation of Discretionary Criminal Sentences for Three Offenders in Faryab Province
In accordance with the decision of the Primary Court of Belcheragh District, Faryab Province, a discretionary criminal sentence was publicly executed today, Wednesday, 6/8/1446 Hijri (Islamic calendar), against three individuals, including one woman, for the crimes of fleeing from home and aiding in the escape from home.
The Primary Court had sentenced one of the offenders to 39 lashes as discretionary punishment, while the other two were sentenced to one year of imprisonment each, along with 39 lashes. This ruling was implemented following its approval by the Supreme Court, in the presence of Al-Haj Mawlawi Ali Gul (Hamidi), Chief Justice of the Faryab Provincial Appellate Court, judicial members, civil and military officials, respected religious scholars, and a large gathering of the general public.

The public punishment of three individuals, including one woman, in Faryab Province illustrates how Taliban authorities use discretionary sentencing to enforce control over family relations and individual movement. Charges related to “fleeing from home” and “aiding escape” transform acts of autonomy and support into punishable offenses, reinforcing coercive social hierarchies. The combination of lashings and imprisonment, imposed publicly and accompanied by the presence of senior judicial, security, and religious officials, signals the use of punishment as a deterrent and warning to the broader community. Applied through judicial processes lacking independence or meaningful safeguards, these sanctions function as arbitrary measures that curtail liberty, suppress personal autonomy, and disproportionately affect women.