The Taliban's Supreme Court has confirmed that three individuals in Paktia were convicted and flogged on charges, including "desecration," "theft," and "insult”.

Two of the individuals received 30 lashes each, while a third was sentenced to 20 lashes, although the specifics of the offences were not disclosed.

This decision was handed down on Monday by the primary court in the Ahmad Aba district of Paktia province.

In addition to corporal punishment, the court also imposed prison sentences, with two of the accused receiving one year each, and the third person being sentenced to eighteen months.

Critics have consistently argued that since their return to power, the Taliban have leveraged accusations such as these to suppress dissent, leading to arrests and trials on a range of charges.

In a similar vein last month, the Taliban court in Kandahar sentenced three individuals to extended prison terms and lashes for their involvement in political activities, illustrating the ongoing use of severe measures, including public lashings, as punishment across Afghanistan.