Taliban publicly flogged a man

AFP, 26th April, 1999

KABUL, April 26 (AFP) - Afghanistan's hardline Taliban militia publicly flogged a man accused of having illegal sex with a woman in the western Afghan province of Herat, Radio Shariat said Monday.

Mohammad Zarif was administered 100 lashes in front of a large crowd in the army compound of Herat on the Iranian border, it said.

The punishment executed on Sunday was approved by the militia's Supreme Leader Mulla Mohammad Omar, the Taliban mouth-piece said.

"Zarif, who had been captured by the security personnel while committing the act of Zena (illegal sexual intercourse), confessed his crime before the Herat military court," the station said.

It did not say what happened to the woman.

Under the Taliban's ultra-strict interpretation of the Islamic Sharia law, married adulterers are stoned to death while bachelors are given lashes, thieves have their limbs chopped off and murderers executed publicly.

h t t p : / / w w w . r a w a . o r g