The Taliban, which regained control of Afghanistan in August 2021, has carried out its sixth public execution since its return to power. The execution, which took place on Wednesday in the eastern city of Gardez, has reignited international concern over the Taliban’s hardline approach to justice and its commitment to a strict interpretation of Islamic law.
The condemned individual, Mohammad Ayaz Asad, was executed by gunfire in front of thousands of spectators at a sports stadium in Gardez, the capital of Paktia province. He was shot three times in the chest by a member of the victim’s family, following the Taliban’s judicial decree of “retaliation punishment,” a practice rooted in the concept of “qisas,” or an eye-for-an-eye justice system. The victim, Habibullah Saif-ul-Qatal, had been killed by Asad before the Taliban came to power, and the case had undergone thorough scrutiny by three military courts, according to the Taliban’s supreme court.
Prior to the execution, the Taliban’s provincial governor’s office had called for public attendance, sharing an invitation on social media to “witness the event.” Among the crowd were several high-ranking officials, including the Taliban’s Interior Minister, Sirajuddin Haqqani. Such executions are a hallmark of the Taliban’s vision for justice, and the group has made clear its intention to fully implement a strict interpretation of Sharia law. In a statement, the Taliban’s Supreme Court said that the order for the execution had been signed by the group’s supreme leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada.
This execution is part of a broader pattern of public punishment and violence that has characterized the Taliban’s rule since they took control. Public executions were a common feature of the Taliban’s first reign from 1996 to 2001, during which they implemented an extreme form of justice that included executions, amputations, and flogging in public arenas. Images from that period, such as the 1999 execution of a woman in a Kabul stadium, remain deeply ingrained in the international community’s memory.
Since the Taliban’s return to power, executions have been relatively rare, but they have nonetheless increased in frequency in recent months. Notably, in February 2024, the Taliban executed three individuals publicly in just one week. Two men were executed by gunshots to the back in the eastern city of Ghazni, and another similar execution took place in Jowzjan province, located in northern Afghanistan.
In addition to executions, the Taliban has carried out numerous corporal punishments, including flogging, for a variety of offenses such as theft, adultery, and the consumption of alcohol. This approach reflects the group’s severe interpretation of Islamic law, where crimes are met with harsh punishments that are often seen as medieval by international human rights organizations.
Human rights groups, including Amnesty International, have consistently condemned these practices. The United Nations has also raised concerns over the systematic use of corporal punishment and the death penalty under the Taliban’s regime. The global community remains divided over how to engage with the Taliban government, particularly as it continues to enforce its hardline legal system, which bears similarities to its earlier rule in the 1990s.
While Afghanistan’s neighbors and other Islamic countries like Iran and Saudi Arabia maintain strict justice systems, the Taliban’s public executions are a chilling reminder of the group’s resolve to enforce its interpretation of Sharia law. The return of such brutal practices has drawn sharp criticism from international governments and human rights organizations that demand accountability and a return to basic human rights standards.
As the Taliban continues its reign, the world watches closely, with many hoping for reform, but also fearing that the return to public executions signals the Taliban’s unyielding commitment to its severe brand of justice.
