Taliban plans to crush gay men in Afghanistan to death by toppling walls onto them
A Taliban judge said that gay men will be crushed or stoned to death under Sharia law
A Taliban judge has revealed that gay men will be crushed to death by toppling walls onto them should the Islamist military group regain control of Afghanistan.
Gul Rahim, a judge in central Afghanistan who fought against coalition troops and served two years in prison, told German newspaper Bild that the Taliban is implementing brutal punishments under Sharia law in territories they now control.
In one case, Rahim said that a man had his hand chopped off after he broke into someone’s home and stole a gold ring.
“I asked the owner of the ring whether he also demanded that the thief’s leg be chopped off — since not only did he steal the ring, but he also broke into the house. So he committed two crimes,” Rahim said. “The owner of the house, however, agreed that only the hand will be chopped off.”
In another case, a group of people were arrested after being accused of kidnapping and smuggling. Rahim said they were hanged.
Under the Taliban’s system, punishments can start with removing an accused’s fingers.
“For more severe deeds, we cut through the wrist, the elbow, or upper arm,” Rahim said. “For the biggest crimes, there can only be execution by stoning or hanging.”
Among the most cruel punishments are those reserved for gay men: death by stoning, or by being crushed under a toppled wall.
If the latter is chosen, the wall must be between 8 and 10 feet tall, and the victim must stand behind it and have it pushed on top of him.
Per Bild: “While Rahim is talking about the gruesome death sentence for homosexuals, he keeps a straight face. For the Taliban, this is a perfectly normal ‘law.'”
Rahim told Bild that the Taliban was confident that Sharia law would be implemented across Afghanistan, adding, “We have fought for this for twenty years and have lost many friends. This has been, and will always be, our goal.”
Despite efforts by U.S. and NATO forces in a years-long military campaign in the country, a resurgent Taliban claims to have captured more than 200 districts in Afghanistan. The U.S. plans to withdraw all troops from Afghanistan by September 11.
The Taliban claims to have met little resistance and alleges that thousands of Afghani soldiers have “defected and embraced the open arms of the Islamic Emirate.”
This week, videos emerged showing Taliban fighters executing at least a dozen Afghan Special Forces members, before looting their bodies and removing equipment.
The militant group previously controlled more than three-quarters of Afghanistan between 1996 and 2001.
The brutal punishments mandated in Taliban-controlled areas, particularly for gay men, are reminiscent of former ISIS-controlled areas in Iraq and Syria, where executions of men accused of homosexuality were a frequent occurrence.
Gay men, and those accused of being gay, were repeatedly thrown from the tops of buildings, stoned to death by large crowds, and shot in the head.
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