The Taliban are once again back to their old ways of strictly implementing Islamic law in Afghanistan. On Tuesday, the group, which now rules over Afghanistan following the U.S. withdrawal, hung several bodies in a gruesome public display.
The Taliban publicly displayed the dead bodies of three alleged criminals in the Obe district in northeastern Herat. The shocking display is reminiscent of the scenes during the group's brutal regime in the late 1990s, where public executions and amputations were commonplace.
The corpses of the three alleged criminals were hung from two cranes in clear public view, likely as a deterrent and reminder to the people of what would happen if they broke the law. People had gathered to witness the hanging of the alleged criminals, who Taliban authorities said were killed after they tried to break into a home.
The hanging of the corpses is the latest incident involving the public display of killed criminals. Two weeks ago, several dead bodies were also placed in a public display at the central square of Herat. The four alleged criminals killed by the police were reportedly kidnappers.
The Taliban said the aim of the hangings is to "alert all criminals" that they are not safe anywhere and will be hunted down and killed.
'Moderate' Taliban mete out medieval justice by hanging corpses from diggers https://t.co/ON3VvKY1P1 — Daily Mail Online (@MailOnline) October 6, 2021
During the Taliban's previous rule of Afghanistan, the group brutally enforced Islamic law. This included severe punishments such as the cutting off of hands of thieves and the fatal stoning of adulterers.
Under their rules, women's rights were severely suppressed. Women were not allowed to drive, go to work, to get access to education. They were also not allowed to leave their homes without being accompanied by a man.
After taking over the country following the evacuation of U.S. troops, the Taliban had promised to respect women and allow them to work. However, secondary schools have remained closed off to young girls and there is now an unofficial ban on women working.
International rights organizations claim that the Taliban have not kept their word as their promises do not reflect what is actually happening on the ground. Protests to uphold women's rights have broken in several cities in Afghanistan but they were immediately suppressed.
