Afghan Taliban leader Akhundzada threatens to publicly flog, stone women guilty of ‘adultery’

Afghan women will be publicly flogged and stoned to death for crimes like adultery, Taliban Supreme leader Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada has purportedly declared in a new audio message in which he challenges Western democracies. The audio, released online by the national broadcaster also announces strict implementation of the Islamic code of Shariah.

“Our Mission is to enforce Sharia and Allah’s Hudud (law),” said Akhundzada in the audio clip, Taliban officials said it was his recent speech. They did not say where the reclusive leader spoke, but Akhundzada lives in southern Afghan city of Kandahar and rarely leaves what is known as the Taliban’s historical birthplace and political headquarters

“You say it is a violation of human rights when we stone them (women) to death. But we will soon implement the punishment for adultery. We will flog women in public, we will stone them in public.” Akhundzada declared. “These are all against your democracy, but we will continue doing it.

“We both say we defend human rights, we do it as God’s representatives and you as the devils.” According to Akhundzada, the women’s rights as advocated by the international community are against Taliban’s rigid interpretation of Islamic Sharia.

“Do women want the rights that Westerners are talking about? They are against Sharia and clerics opinion, the clerics who toppled Western democracies. I told Mujahideen that we tell the Westerners that we fought against you for 30 years and we will fight 20 and more years against you,” he said.

“It did not finish. It doesn’t mean we would now just sit and drink tea. We will bring Sharia to this land, he added. It did finish after we took Kabul. No, we will now bring Sharia into action.” Akhundzada rarely appears in public or leavers the Taliban heartland in Afghanistan southern Kandahar province.

He surrounds himself with religious scholars and allies that who oppose education and work for women. Despite initial promises of a more moderate rule than previous stint in power in the 1990’s the Taliban have imposed harsh measures since seizing Afghanistan in August 2021 as US and NATO forces were pulling out.

As they did during their previous rule of Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001, the Taliban gradually reimposed their harsh interpretation of Islamic law or Sharia, barring girls from school beyond the sixth grade and women from all types of professional employment such as jobs, public spaces, gyms and recently closing beauty salons.

The measures have triggered an international uproar, increasing the country’s isolation at a time when its economy has collapsed and worsening humanity crisis. Akhundzada has also prohibited many women from workplaces and international organisations like the United Nations. They are not allowed to undertake long air and road trips unless accompanied by male relative.

The Taliban leader defends his governance saying that these measures are aligned with Afghan culture and Islam. The international community has not granted formal recognition to the de-facto Afghan authorities, citing human rights concerns especially the harsh treatment of women.