Date: 25/11/1403

Implementation of Discretionary Criminal Sentences Against Five Defendants in Takhar Province
Based on the ruling of the Primary Court of Yangi Qala District in Takhar Province, discretionary criminal sentences were executed today, Thursday, 14/08/1446 Hijri Qamari, against five individuals — including one woman — accused of adultery, sodomy, and theft. The sentences were carried out in the sports courtyard of the municipal court of the mentioned district.
The Primary Court had sentenced the defendants to one year and six to seven months of enforceable imprisonment and 39 lashes each. This ruling was implemented following its approval by the Supreme Court.

The public punishment of five individuals, including one woman, in Takhar Province reflects the use of discretionary sentencing to merge criminal justice with public discipline. The execution of imprisonment and lashings in a municipal sports courtyard transforms punishment into a civic display, signaling deterrence to the wider community. Charges spanning adultery, sodomy, and theft collapse diverse allegations into a single punitive response, reinforcing the fluid treatment of accusation and conviction. Implemented through judicial processes lacking independence and meaningful safeguards, the sentences function as arbitrary measures that suppress personal autonomy and liberty, stigmatize private conduct, and normalize public violence as an instrument of control.