The video of the stoning in Ghor province came out late on Monday and has been widely discussed on social media in Afghanistan with many people appalled by the scenes.
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Footage of the stoning which broadcast by Tolo here indicates that scores of turbaned and bearded men brutally throwing stones at the powerless woman in an isolated area till her death. It reported that a crowd of spectators captured the incident on their mobile phones as the woman’s cries filled the air.
The woman, named by officials as Rokhsahana and aged between 19 and 21, can be heard repeating the shahada, or Muslim profession of faith, in the almost 30-second clip.
It has been sourced and released by global broadcaster Radio Free Europe.
Her 23-year-old fiance, named as Mohammad Gul, was repeatedly lashed.
Rokhsahana had been “stoned to death by Taliban, local religious leaders and irresponsible armed warlords”, governor Seema Joyenda said.
Joyenda, one of Afghanistan’s two female provincial governors, strongly condemned the killing.
She was allegedly caught having premarital sex with her boyfriend – an act not tolerated by many conservative Muslims in rural Afghanistan.
In March this year, Ms Farkhunda Malikzada, 27, was set upon by dozens of men after being accused of desecrating a copy of the Quran. “Women, in general, have problems all over the country, but especially in Ghor”. “The government will follow-up on the incident, once the area comes under our authority”, he said.
Public lashings and executions were common under the Taliban’s 1996-2001 rule, when a strict interpretation of Sharia law was enforced, but such incidents have been less common in recent years.
The Taliban has not to date commented on the stoning in Ghor.
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The stoning occurred around six days ago after the local tribal council found her guilty of having pre-marital sex with her fiancé, officials told DPA agency.
