Amnesty International demand Taliban ban executions in Afghanistan

The human rights organization Amnesty International on Friday called on the ruling Taliban in Afghanistan to stop carrying out executions and abolish the death penalty.

"We oppose all executions as a violation of the right to life. The Taliban has been repeatedly carrying them out publicly which is a gross affront to human dignity as well as a violation of international laws and standards and cannot be tolerated," the organization stated in a press release.

"Carrying out executions in public adds to the inherent cruelty of the death penalty and can only have a dehumanizing effect on the victim and a brutalizing effect on those who witness the executions. Meanwhile, the protection of the right to a fair trial under the Taliban's de facto authority remains seriously concerning," they continued.

The cause for the organization's appeal was a public double execution at a stadium in the southeastern city Ghazni on February 22, while "thousands watched the shooting of two convicted men as their victims’ relatives fired the gunshot."

This is the third and fourth publicly known execution under the Taliban rule.

The UN mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) is also "strongly" opposed to the penalty.

"UNAMA urges the de facto authorities to establish an immediate moratorium on the use of the death penalty, as a step towards its abolition," the UN mission took to platform X, formerly Twitter.

When the Taliban seized power once again in August 2021 amid the chaotic withdrawal of international troops from the country, they promised a more moderate course.

However, they have repeatedly carried out public executions. The UN has also criticized the Taliban for this calling on them to stop. During the first Taliban rule from 1996 to 2001, floggings, amputations and stoning's were carried out in public on a regular basis.