Locals say Taleban courts might be rough and ready, but at least they do not require bribes to be paid to massively corrupt state officials and judges. Sitting in his grocery shop pouring tea from a vacuum flask into a broken cup, Abdullah, a year-old trader at the village market in Baraki Rajan, described a recent Taleban punishment he witnessed. He was out digging his land when his younger brother called him to come and see what was happening.
Five motorcyclists, obviously Taleban, were riding to the right and left of the donkeys. Abdullah and his brother joined the procession of young boys and children from the village. The chant was picked up and repeated by those in the processions. Then they led the donkeys into the centre. We are the Taleban. Until six days ago, they were holding people up, beating them and stealing their money, mobile phones and watches. The two offenders faced no further punishment, and left the village the next day because they could not face their community.
They ended up travelling illegally to Iran, relatives told Abdullah. It is no idle claim. Taleban courts in Logar are commonly asked to adjudicate on civil and family matters as well as criminal cases. Judgement is swift and often harsh. In criminal cases, the punishments range from the ritual humiliation and shaming described by Abdullah to lashings, amputations, stonings, and summary execution.
Mohammad Bashir, 26, described one such punishment that he watched in the Charkh district on July When I got there, I saw 12 Taleban with their faces covered. The Taleban then ordered the boys to take off their shirts and sit on the ground. They were then given 40 lashes each.
One of the Taleban handed the loudhailer to the now bleeding men and told them to repent their wrongdoing and promise not to do it again, which they did.
