Following criticism over the public execution of a man, the Taliban on Thursday defended its actions. The Taliban on Thursday termed the international criticism over its public execution "reprehensible" and "interference" in Afghanistan's internal matters, Voice of America (VOA) News reported.
Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid in a statement said that their action was criticised due to a lack of information about Islam and Afghanistan. He stressed that 99 per cent of the people in Afghanistan are Muslim. Mujahid's statement comes after US and United Nations criticised the Taliban for the public execution of a man.
Zabihullah Mujahid said that they have made many sacrifices for enforcing Islamic laws in Afghanistan. Defending the public execution, Zabihullah Mujahid said that death penalties are "given all around the world," including America and Europe, as per the VOA News report.
"The fact that Afghanistan is being criticized for applying Islamic sentences shows that some countries and organizations have either insufficient knowledge or have problems with Islam, respecting Muslims' beliefs and laws," VOA News quoted Zabihullah Mujahid as saying.
"This action is an interference in the internal affairs of countries and is reprehensible," he added.
On Thursday, the Taliban Supreme Court announced the public flogging of 27 convicts, including nine women, in Parwan province. The decision of the Taliban Supreme Court comes a day after publicly executing a man charged with murder for the first time since they took over Afghanistan last year.
Taliban's spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid had confirmed the public execution of a man. Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said that the execution took place in a sports stadium in western Farah province on Wednesday, according to VOA News report. He said that hundreds of people witnessed the execution, including the top officials of the group, as per the VOA News report.
Zabihullah Mujahid said that the executed person was tried in the Taliban courts and subsequent appellate tribunals. He claimed that the executed person in the court had "confessed to stabbing to death" a resident of Farah and stealing his belongings, including a motorcycle. According to the spokesperson, the execution was carried out by the victim's father.
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) spokesperson Jeremy Laurence in a statement said, "The death penalty is incompatible with fundamental tenets of human rights, and its use cannot be reconciled with full respect for the right to life." Lawrence called on the Taliban to create an immediate moratorium on any further executions, and act swiftly to ban the use of the death penalty.
The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) echoed the message on social media. It tweeted, "Afghanistan's de facto authorities announced the public execution of a man in Farah province today. The UN strongly opposes the death penalty in all circumstances, and calls on de facto authorities to establish immediate moratorium with a view to abolishing the death penalty."
Meanwhile, the United States also criticised the Taliban after reports regarding public execution emerged. US State Department Spokesperson Ned Price said, "We've seen the reports that the Taliban has ordered judges to impose their interpretation of Sharia law. That includes public executions; it includes amputations; it includes floggings."
While addressing a press briefing, Ned Price said, "We've seen despicable videos that have circulated online in recent days regarding some of these tactics. This indicates to us that the Taliban seek to return to their regressive and abusive practices of the 1990s. It was an affront to the dignity and the human rights of all Afghans then; it would be an affront to the dignity and the human rights of all Afghans now."
AN ASIAN writer has explained how his new book makes Britain’s imperial past “accessible, engaging and thought-provoking” for a younger audience.
Award-winning author and journalist Sathnam Sanghera’s new book, Journeys of Empire, explores empire through 10 journeys he described as being “extraordinary”. Sanghera said his book, published last month by Puffin UK, is “a way of helping children understand how Britain’s biggest story still shapes the world today.”
“We’re not taught this history very well,” he told Eastern Eye.
“The empire is morally complex – sometimes we were good, sometimes bad – so, how do you even begin talking about it? It’s also contentious. There are millions of us whose families were colonised, and millions whose families were the colonisers.”
Teachers cannot teach what they themselves were never taught, Sanghera pointed out.
“There are multiple layers to why British people are so bad at talking about this history. It touches on race, misogyny and geopolitics. It’s easier just not to talk about it.”
And , the cover of his book
Following the success of his bestselling children’s title Stolen History, Sanghera’s this latest work continues Sanghera’s mission to write for readers aged nine and above. With a focus on human experiences, Sanghera said he wanted show that history is not just a list of dates or conquests – it’s a tapestry of stories that connect people.
Born in Wolverhampton to Punjabi immigrant parents, he began school unable to speak English. Later he graduated with first-class honours in English language and literature from Christ’s College, Cambridge.
He has since built a career as a writer and journalist.
His memoir, The Boy with the Topknot, and his novel, Marriage Material, were both shortlisted for the Costa Book Awards. Empireland, Sanghera’s exploration of Britain’s colonial legacy, was longlisted for the Baillie Gifford Prize for Non- Fiction, named a Book of the Year at the 2022 National Book Awards, and inspired the Channel 4 documentary series Empire State of Mind.
His first children’s book, Stolen History, introduced young readers to the complex and often overlooked realities of empire. With Journeys of Empire, Sanghera aims to go further. “When I finally learned about the British empire, it changed how I saw myself, how I saw Britain, and how I saw India,” he said.
“It seemed obvious that you’d want to give this gift to young people – because your 40s is a bit late to be learning all this.”
Sanghera said the 10 journeys in the book take readers across continents and centuries, revealing both the ambition and the brutality of empire.
“The British empire covered a quarter of the world’s surface and a large portion of its population. It was seven times the size of the Roman empire,” he said.
Aiming to ensure diversity in both perspective and geography, Sanghera said he chose stories from various countries and different phases of the 400-year history.
Alongside India and Mahatma Gandhi, readers will learn about Guyana’s indentured labour system, Gertrude Bell’s adventures in Iraq, and the British invasion of Tibet led by Francis Younghusband.
“I wanted to highlight areas often left out of mainstream narratives,” the writer said. The stories are written with an accessible and honest tone, and with humour.
“Violence is a tricky area,” Sanghera said. “You can’t go into graphic detail, but you also shouldn’t whitewash it. The violence and racism of colonialism were intrinsic. “I tried to strike a balance - acknowledging the brutality without overwhelming young readers.”
Writing for children isn’t much different from writing for adults, Sanghera said.
“You still need engaging stories and to hold attention. The main thing is to avoid big words that might put them off.”
He pointed out how storytelling can counter the allure of digital screens.
“Kids are addicted to screens, and reading rates are falling globally. That’s disastrous for mental health, intellectual development, and politics,” he said.
“When you get news from screens, you’re in an echo chamber – you’re not being challenged or taught to think in a nuanced way.”
Sanghera’s hope is that stories of Journeys of Empire – from pirates to princes and explorers to rebels – will draw in young readers to a world of curiosity and reflection. He said, “The British empire is a complex story. Even the ‘good guys’ had flaws. That’s what makes it worth understanding.”
At the heart of his book is a message about complexity and contradiction. “The empire involved slavery and the abolition of slavery. It caused environmental destruction and inspired environmentalism. We live in a world that struggles with nuance, but that’s what makes us human,” Sanghera said.
“My hope is that readers – kids and adults – learn that opposite things can be true at the same time.”
After six years of writing about empire, Sanghera said he’s ready for a change. His next book will focus on the late pop star George Michael, due out in June next year.
“I thought George Michael would be a nice break from empire. But then I learned that his father came from Cyprus - which was under British rule. The reason he left Cyprus was because of the British. So, even George Michael’s story connects back to empire. You can’t escape it, wherever you go.”
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