UN Expresses Grave Concern Over Escalating Public Executions and Deteriorating Legal System in Afghanistan
The United Nations has voiced serious alarm regarding a marked increase in public executions and the systematic dismantling of the rule of law in Afghanistan under Taliban control. These actions, the UN warns, are designed to suppress dissent and consolidate power, while together representing egregious violations of international human rights standards.
Since the Taliban takeover in August 2021, Afghanistan’s legal framework has undergone a radical transformation. The independent legal system has been replaced with a de facto system characterized by a lack of standardized procedures and substantive statutes in both criminal and civil matters. According to a 2023 report by UN experts, police, judges, and lawyers currently operate without established guidelines. Specialized courts, including those dedicated to addressing sexual and gender-based violence, have been dissolved, and laws pertaining to judicial appointments and fair trial procedures implemented by the previous government have been suspended. Judicial independence has been abolished, with religious scholars replacing trained judges, and key judicial positions filled primarily by Taliban members possessing basic religious education rather than legal expertise.
This deterioration has coincided with a disturbing surge in public executions. In 2025 alone, the number of such executions has significantly increased.On april 11, 2025, Afghanistan’s de facto Supreme Court announced the public execution of four men in Badghis (2), Farah (1), and Nimroz (1) provinces, citing the Taliban’s policy of Revenge – retribution in kind based on their interpretation of religious law.
UN Special Rapporteur Richard Bennett condemned these executions, emphasizing their dehumanizing impact on both the convicted individuals and the witnessing public. “Under the Taliban, public executions and other cruel punishments are not only a horrifying form of violence, they are a intentional tool used to control the population and instill fear,” Bennett stated, calling for an immediate halt to all executions and the establishment of a moratorium on the death penalty as a step towards its full abolition.
Beyond public executions, the de facto authorities have also reintroduced floggings and other forms of corporal punishment, violating international human rights law. These punishments are frequently imposed for alleged offenses such as sodomy and “illicit relationships,” as defined by the Taliban. Over 200 such punishments have been documented since the beginning of 2025.
The UN warns that the situation in Afghanistan is likely to worsen without a concerted international response. It stresses the need for comprehensive action focused on justice and accountability at the domestic, regional, and international levels to address the ongoing and severe human rights violations perpetrated by the Taliban.
