Taliban chief Akhundzada says Afghan women will be publicly stoned to death for adultery

The worst fears that the Taliban could take Afghanistan back to the Dark Ages may come true. Taliban supremo Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada announced in a voice message on state television that women in Afghanistan would be publicly whipped and stoned to death for adultery.

He also vowed to continue the fight against Western democracy, The Telegraph reports.

In her message, Akhundzada said that women’s rights supported by the international community conflict with the Taliban’s strict interpretation of Islamic Sharia law.

“Do women want the rights that Westerners are talking about? They are against Sharia and the opinion of the clerics, the clerics overthrew Western democracy,” said the head of the Taliban in Afghanistan.

“I told the mujahideen that we tell the Westerners that we fought against you for 20 years and we will fight against you for 20 or more years. it’s not over [when you left], This does not mean that now we will just sit and drink tea. We will bring Sharia to this earth. It ended after the capture of Kabul. No, we will now implement Sharia,” the Telegraph quoted Akhundzada as saying.

“You say it is a violation of women’s rights when we stone them to death. But we will soon impose punishment for adultery. We will flog women in public. We will stone them to death in public ,” Akhundzada boldly spoke to Western officials. In a voice message broadcast on state television over the weekend.

According to the Telegraph, she said it reflected her dedication to Islamic law while ignoring Western views about women’s rights.

The US-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 ousted the Taliban from power, but they never left. The Western-backed government that ran the country for 20 years fell and the Taliban took power.

After coming to power in 2021, the Taliban took retaliatory action against Americans or those who worked with the government.

The Taliban also reimposed the strict interpretation of Islamic law that they had relied on when they ruled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001. At that time, women were barred from going to school or working outside the home.

Women had to wear a full burqa and be accompanied by a male relative whenever they went out. The Taliban banned music, cut off the hands of thieves, and stoned adulterers.

Tala says women are living in Taliban prison

The Taliban supremo’s comments have sparked outrage among Afghans, with concerns about deteriorating women’s rights and safety in the country.

Tala, a former civil servant in Kabul, expressed fear and frustration, describing the imposition of daily restrictions and rules on women.

“As a woman, I do not feel safe in Afghanistan. Every morning begins with a barrage of notices and orders that impose restrictions and stringent rules on women, take away even small joys and destroy hope for a brighter future,” said Tala, a former civil servant. Said.

“We women are living in prison and the Taliban are making it smaller for us with every passing day,” she said.

The Taliban had promised a more moderate government and said they would be less strict if they came to power, but this was not true.

However, they soon returned to harsh public punishments such as public executions and floggings, similar to those of the 1990s.

The United Nations strongly condemned the Taliban and urged the country’s supremo to stop these actions.