The Taliban publicly executed a man, accused of murder, in western Farah province on Wednesday, December 7, Taliban spokesperson says in a statement.
This is the first Qisas punishment or “retaliation in kind” after Mawlawi Hebatullah, the Taliban Supreme Leader asked for the full enforcement of Islamic Sharia Law last month.
According to the Taliban statement, the man executed named Tajmir, a resident of Jalorcha area of Injil district of Herat province who had murdered Mustafa, a resident of Farah with a knife and robbed his mobile and motorcycle.
A local source, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to security reasons, tells Rukhshana Media that the victim’s father executed the accused by gunshots.
The statement says the accused was executed after the investigation of the Primary, Appeal, and Supreme Courts and with the approval of Mawlawi Hebatullah Akhundzada.
The Taliban’s Deputy Prime Minister Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, Chief Justice Abdul Hakim Haqqani, Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, Acting Interior Minister Serajuddin Haqqani, and Acting Education Minister Habibullah Agha were present at the public execution, according to the statement.
In an audio tape shared on social media, the Taliban call the residents of the province through local radio to participate in the public execution at a sports stadium.
“The implementation of public execution was the first wish of the suicide bombers and those martyred in war,” a Taliban force says in another audio tape also shared on social media, asking the people to get together for the Qisas punishment in the province.
The Taliban have publicly flogged dozens of people, including women in Bamyan, Takhar, Logar, Samangan, Badakhshan, Ghor, Faryab, and Badghis provinces since they seized power on August 15 last year.
The full implementation of Islamic Sharia law sparked widespread concerns and condemnations – including UN, however, the Taliban spokesperson, Zabihullah Mujahid, called the remarks biased.