News / Asia

Afghan Couple Stoned to Death by Taliban

TEXT SIZE - +

Afghan officials say Taliban militants have publicly stoned to death a man and a woman accused of having an affair.

The killings took place Sunday in Mullah Qali, a village in the northern province of Kunduz.

The man was married to someone else and the woman was engaged.  Both of them were in their 20s.

A Taliban official who refused to give his name told the French news agency AFP that the couple confessed before they were killed.

Earlier this month, Taliban insurgents reportedly flogged and executed a pregnant woman in the western province of Baghdis.

Human rights group Amnesty International called the killing a heinous crime.  The human rights group said it was the first stoning death it could confirm to have taken place in Afghanistan since the Taliban was overthrown by U.S.-led forces in 2001.

Amnesty said the stoning came two days after Afghanistan's highest Islamic religious body, the Council of Ulema, called on the government to enforce sharia or Islamic law punishments more strictly, as a concession to the Taliban in an attempt to end the war.

The international rights group urged the Afghan government to ensure human rights are protected as it deals with the Taliban.

The ancient practice of death by stoning has been abandoned by most Islamic countries.  It is still a legal punishment in Iran, which justifies it under sharia.

Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP.

You May Like

Karzai to Discuss Enhancing Defense Ties with India

Afghanistan looking for more military aid as it prepares for withdrawal of NATO forces by next year More

India, China Pledge to Overcome Border Tensions

Indian prime minister and Chinese premier attempt to move past tense standoff in the Himalayas during Delhi talks More

Burmese President Opens US Visit with VOA Town Hall Meeting

Ahead of his meeting with President Obama Monday, Thein Sein answered questions on human rights and economic development in his country More

This forum has been closed.
Comments
     
There are no comments in this forum. Be first and add one

Featured Videos

Your JavaScript is turned off or you have an old version of Adobe's Flash Player. Get the latest Flash player.
Your JavaScript is turned off or you have an old version of Adobe's Flash Player. Get the latest Flash player.
Video

Video Valley Fever Raises Concerns in California, Arizona

A longstanding health problem in California's Central Valley has worsened in recent years, leading health officials to order the relocation of 3,000 prisoners from two state prisons. But the disease affects much of the population in some rural communities and, Mike O'Sullivan reports, while it often goes unnoticed, it sometimes can be devastating for patients.