Taliban authorities in Afghanistan carried out a public execution on Tuesday in the eastern city of Khost, targeting a man convicted of the murder of 13 members of a single family, including women and children. The highly publicized killing marks the 11th execution conducted in the country since the Taliban regained control in 2021 and signals a firm return to the strict imposition of Sharia law.
The re-imposition of this stringent legal code has also included highly criticized measures such as the ongoing ban on education for Afghan women and girls.
Details of the Supreme Court Order
The executed man was identified as Mangal, who was sentenced to death for the murder of Abdul Rahman and 12 other family members.
- Supreme Leader Approval: The order for the execution, which was watched by an estimated 80,000 people, including various Taliban officials and the victim’s family, was officially approved by Afghanistan’s supreme leader, Hibatullah Akhunzada.
- Qisas Ruling: A statement from the Supreme Court confirmed that the family of the victim was offered “forgiveness and reconciliation,” but upon their refusal and insistence on Qisas (retribution in kind under Sharia law), the divine ruling was carried out.
Execution Carried Out by Victim’s Family
According to reports from local Afghan sources like Amu News, the execution was reportedly carried out by a relative of the family Mangal was convicted of killing. Unverified reports suggested the person who fired the fatal shot was a 13-year-old boy from the victims’ family.
A witness quoted by media described the scene: “They brought the killer in front of everyone. Doctors came and followed their procedures. Then the complainant arrived and, in accordance with what Sharia permits, fired at him and shot him.”
Another resident of Khost publicly justified the strict punishment, noting that the severity of the crime—targeting women and children—warranted the extreme measure.
Postponement for Co-Accused
The Supreme Court statement also noted that two other men, reportedly Mangal’s sons, were also convicted in the murder case. However, the implementation of the Qisas ruling against them has been postponed. This delay is due to the fact that some of the heirs of the victims reside outside the country and were not present for the execution, which is required under Sharia provisions.
UN Condemns Public Execution
The execution drew immediate and strong international condemnation. Moments before the event, Richard Bennet, the United Nations’ Special Rapporteur for Afghanistan, took to X (formerly Twitter) to call for the execution to be halted.
Following the death, the UN official issued a further statement:
“Public executions are inhumane, a cruel and unusual punishment, and contrary to international law… such executions are a gross violation of human rights and dignity, and incompatible with Islamic law.”