Taliban Authorities Conduct Public Execution in Eastern Afghanistan for Murder Conviction

Afghanistan:

On Tuesday, authorities in eastern Afghanistan carried out a public execution of a man convicted of murder, according to an announcement from the country's Supreme Court.

The individual, identified only as Mangal, was executed before a crowd gathered at a sports stadium in Khost, as stated in the court's official release.

This execution marks the twelfth public execution since the Taliban resumed power in Afghanistan in 2021, based on AFP's records.

The court indicated that Mangal received a sentence of "retaliatory punishment" for homicide after his case underwent "very precise and repeated examination."

According to the statement, "The victims' families were offered options for amnesty and peace, but they declined these alternatives."

Officials had distributed widespread notices on Monday encouraging public attendance at the execution.

Authorities reported that Mangal participated in an armed attack on a residence in January 2025, resulting in the deaths of ten individuals, including three women.

Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Afghanistan, commented before the execution took place on Tuesday, describing such acts as "inhumane, cruel, and an unusual punishment, contrary to international law."

In a statement posted on X, Bennett declared, "They must stop."