Afghanistan
Death penalty and prisoners' rights · Archive since 1999
Data card
- Legal status
- Retentionist
- Executions recorded in 2026
- 0
- Executions recorded in 2025
- 7
- First news item in the archive
- JANUARY 1, 1999 · Afghan law does not prohibit the execution of an individual...
- News items in the archive
- 560
Source: Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026.
Afghanistan is classified as Retentionist in the Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026. In 2026 the association recorded 0 executions in the country, against 7 the year before. The archive holds 560 news items on Afghanistan, from 1999 to today.
Latest news
- SEPTEMBER 8, 2023IranDEATH PENALTY
TEHRAN AND KABUL TRADE ACCUSATIONS OF RIGHTS VIOLATIONS
The Taliban's foreign minister has criticised its leading economic ally and political supporter, Tehran, for the high number of executions in Iran, Farsi media reported.
JUNE 21, 2023AfghanistanDEATH PENALTYAFGHANISTAN: TALIBAN CARRY OUT 2ND KNOWN PUBLIC EXECUTION SINCE SEIZING POWER
Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers on June 19, 2023 carried out what is believed to be the second confirmed public execution since the religious group took power in 2021, according to the country’s Supreme Court.
JUNE 11, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Iran Hands Over Scores Of Afghan Prisoners To Taliban
- JUNE 2, 2023United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
USA - U.N. Body Condemns Torture of Guantánamo Prisoner Awaiting Capital Trial
Together with United Arab Emirates, Afghanistan, Lithuania, Morocco, Poland, Romania and Thailand
- MAY 9, 2023AfghanistanDEATH PENALTY
UNITED NATIONS: TALIBAN'S USE OF CORPORAL PUNISHMENT VIOLATES HUMAN RIGHTS
The United Nations on May 9, 2023 called out the Taliban for their widespread use of corporal punishment, including public lashings and amputations, and execution in violation of international rights.
- DECEMBER 19, 2022AfghanistanDEATH PENALTY
AFGHANISTAN: TALIBAN OFFICIAL PARDONS HIS FATHER'S MURDERER
A senior Afghan official has pardoned a man sentenced to death for murdering the politician's father, a court said on 18 December 2022, days after Taliban authorities carried out the first public execution since the Islamists seized power.
- DECEMBER 8, 2022AfghanistanDEATH PENALTY
TALIBAN CARRY OUT 1ST PUBLIC EXECUTION SINCE AFGHAN TAKEOVER
The Taliban authorities on 7 December 2022 executed an Afghan convicted of killing another man, the first public execution since the former insurgents took over Afghanistan last year.
NOVEMBER 22, 2022AfghanistanDEATH PENALTYAFGHANISTAN: TALIBAN PUBLICLY FLOGGED 19 PEOPLE AS PUNISHMENT FOR ADULTERY & THEFT
The hardline Islamist Taliban regime on November 19, 2022 lashed at least 19 people for committing various crimes such as adultery, theft, and running away from home, a Supreme Court official confirmed.
- JULY 13, 2022AfghanistanDEATH PENALTY
AFGHANISTAN: WATCHDOG ALLEGES TALIBAN ‘SUMMARILY’ EXECUTED AT LEAST 100 SUSPECTED ISLAMIC STATE MEMBERS
Taliban security forces in eastern Afghanistan have extrajudicially killed dozens of suspected members and supporters of a local affiliate of the Islamic State terrorist group, according to Human Rights Watch.
- OCTOBER 17, 2021AfghanistanDEATH PENALTY
AFGHANISTAN: TALIBAN ASK OFFICIALS NOT TO CARRY OUT PUBLIC EXECUTIONS UNLESS DIRECTED BY APEX COURT
The Taliban government in Afghanistan has directed local officials to avoid carrying out punishments in public unless the country's top court issues the order for public execution.
SEPTEMBER 1, 2021AfghanistanDEATH PENALTYAFGHANISTAN: TALIBAN ISSUE DEATH SENTENCE FOR BROTHER OF TRANSLATOR WHO HELPED US TROOPS
The Taliban have sentenced the brother of an Afghan translator to death, according to letters obtained by CNN, accusing him of helping the US and providing security to his brother, who served as an interpreter to American troops.
MARCH 16, 2021AfghanistanDEATH PENALTYAFGHANISTAN: TWO SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KABUL UNIVERSITY ATTACK
An appellate court in Parwan on 3 March 2021 sentenced to death two suspects accused of plotting the November 2020 attack on Kabul University.
JANUARY 20, 2021AfghanistanDEATH PENALTYAFGHANISTAN: VICE PRESIDENT PUSHES FOR EXECUTION OF TALIBAN PRISONERS
Afghanistan’s First Vice President Amrullah Saleh on 18 January 2021 demanded the execution of Taliban prisoners as violence surges in the country in spite of US-sponsored talks between the government and the militants.
JANUARY 2, 2021AfghanistanDEATH PENALTYAFGHANISTAN: KABUL UNIVERSITY ATTACK MASTERMIND SENTENCED TO DEATH
The Afghan Supreme Court has sentenced Mohammad Adil, the mastermind of the November 2020 Kabul University attack that claimed the lives of 22 people, to death.
JUNE 30, 2020AfghanistanDEATH PENALTYAFGHANISTAN: TALIBAN HANG TWO MEN FOR SHAVING BEARDS IN FARYAB
Taliban fighters have executed two young men for shaving their beards in the insecure province of Faryab in the northwest, officials in the province said.
- MAY 9, 2020IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - 2 Afghan lawmakers say 45 migrants drowned by Iranian guards (see HoC May 2)
IRAN - 2 Afghan lawmakers say 45 migrants drowned by Iranian guards (see HoC May 2)
- MAY 2, 2020IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Likely massacre of migrants by the Iranian border police
IRAN - Likely massacre of migrants by the Iranian border police
- MARCH 14, 2020AfghanistanDEATH PENALTY
AFGHANISTAN: 4 MEN CONVICTED OF KIDNAPPING AND MURDER SENTENCED TO DEATH
A Kabul appeals court on 8 March 2020 sentenced four men to death for the kidnapping and killing an eleven-year-old boy.
- JANUARY 20, 2020AfghanistanDEATH PENALTY
AFGHANISTAN: OFFICIALS SAY TALIBAN KILL 6 MEMBERS OF SAME FAMILY
Afghan officials said on 19 January 2020 that the Taliban executed six members of the same family, including an infant girl, in a remote village in the country's north.
- JANUARY 1, 2020AfghanistanDEATH PENALTY
The 2004 Afghan Constitution, in article 23 asserts the right to life
The 2004 Afghan Constitution, in article 23 asserts the right to life
NOVEMBER 28, 2019AfghanistanDEATH PENALTYAFGHANISTAN: SOLDIER GIVEN DEATH SENTENCE FOR DELIBERATELY KILLING AN ARMY OFFICER
An Afghan National Army soldier has been awarded death penalty as he was accused of killing a military officer in northern Afghanistan, security officials said on 26 November 2019.
- OCTOBER 10, 2019AfghanistanDEATH PENALTY
AFGHANISTAN: TWO TALIBAN FIGHTERS WERE HANGED BY THEIR COMMANDERS IN GHOUR
According to reports from Ghour province, on 10 October 2019 two Taliban fighters were hanged by their commanders.
JUNE 7, 2019AfghanistanDEATH PENALTYAFGHANISTAN: PRESIDENT PLEDGES TO RELEASE NEARLY 900 PRISONERS
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani pledged on 4 June 2019 to release nearly 900 inmates from prisons across Afghanistan.
APRIL 18, 2019AfghanistanDEATH PENALTYAFGHANISTAN: TWO SUSPECTS SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING JOURNALIST IN KANDAHAR
The Attorney General’s Office said in a statement on 16 April 2019 that two suspects were sentenced to death for killing a journalist in Kandahar.
- JANUARY 1, 2019AfghanistanDEATH PENALTY
The 2004 Afghan Constitution, in article 23 asserts the right to life
The 2004 Afghan Constitution, in article 23 asserts the right to life
SEPTEMBER 8, 2018AfghanistanDEATH PENALTYAFGHANISTAN: SOLDIER SENTENCED TO DEATH AFTER HANDING OVER OUTPOST TO TALIBAN
An Afghan army soldier was sentenced to death after being found guilty of killing his nine colleagues and handing over an army outpost to the Taliban in northern Afghanistan.
MARCH 3, 2018AfghanistanDEATH PENALTYAFGHANISTAN: TALIBAN EXECUTE 3 ALLEGED KIDNAPPERS IN FARAH
Taliban militants executed three people allegedly involved in kidnapping cases in Khak-I-Safid district of western Farah province, officials said.
JANUARY 28, 2018AfghanistanDEATH PENALTYAFGHANISTAN: KIDNAPPERS AND KILLERS OF THE 12-YEAR-OLD ABASIN HANGED IN KABUL
The authorities in Kabul hanged the kidnappers and killers of a 12-year-old boy who was murdered in the city in a kidnap for ransom case last year.
- JANUARY 1, 2018AfghanistanDEATH PENALTY
The 2004 Afghan Constitution, in article 23 asserts the right to life
The 2004 Afghan Constitution, in article 23 asserts the right to life
NOVEMBER 29, 2017AfghanistanDEATH PENALTYAFGHANISTAN: FIVE PRISONERS HANGED TO DEATH IN KABUL PRISON
At least five prisoners, who were sentenced to death over kidnapping charges, have been hanged to death at Pul-e-Charkhi prison in Kabul.