By: Rukhshana Media
Four women and three men have been flogged and sent to jail in Daikundi province after the Taliban accused them of fornication.
The Taliban provincial court found the seven people guilty of having sexual relations outside of marriage, and gave them various prison sentences ranging from 10 days to one-year imprisonment.
Two reliable sources told Rukhshana Media that the court hearing was on Monday January 2. The people are known as Mohammad Paikarzada, Sadruddin, Amir Hussain, Mahtab, Gultaab, Fayeza and Raihana.
Mohammad Paikarzada was sentenced to one year in prison and 39 lashes, Mahtaab daughter of Mohammad Ali was sentenced to one-month imprisonment and 29 lashes, Goltaab daughter of Boman sentenced to one-month imprisonment and 29 lashes, Sadruddin sentenced to one month imprisonment and 25 lashes, Amir Husain to one month imprisonment and 25 lashes, Faiza sentenced to 10 days imprisonment and 15 lashes, and Raihana sentenced to 10 days imprisonment and 15 lashes.
Another source told Rukhshana Media that the group was arrested at a Taliban checkpoint last week while they were inside a city passenger car and were on their way to their homes.
The source says people believe the accusation was a lie and Taliban forces were discriminating against them for being Hazara.
“There have been four such incidents in the past month. Every time, the women were detained for being without a male chaperone, and then arrest them on the pretext that they must have an illicit relationship.”
The source said that the Taliban forces kept the women with them overnight without a female police officer present, which is against the Taliban’s own rules.
