13-Year-Old Executes Convicted Killer in Front of 80,000 in Afghanistan’s Khost

Afghanistan: A video that has surfaced from Afghanistan is shaking the world. A man was hanged amid a crowd of thousands of people at a stadium in Khost province on Tuesday. This was the same accused who was accused of murdering 13 members of the same family, including nine children. The most painful thing was that the death sentence of the accused was given by the same 13-year-old child whose own family he had killed.

It was said that about 80 thousand people were present in the stadium. The sound of bullets echoed, and the crowd kept shouting slogans. As if someone has turned a painful truth into a farce. Taliban officials named the accused as Manganal. He was found guilty by the Supreme Court of Afghanistan, and the supreme leader of the Taliban, Hibtullah Akhundzada, approved the execution.

Why is there criticism at the international level?

This incident is being condemned all over the world. Richard Bennett, the UN special representative for Afghanistan, described it as “extremely cruel, inhumane, and against international law.” He says that justice does not mean fanning the flames of revenge, especially when the one being punished is a child himself, who has already lost his family.

What does the Taliban say?

The Taliban Supreme Court called it Qisas, i.e., ‘blood for revenge.’ The court statement said that all judicial processes were completed and the victim's family was given the option of amnesty, but the family chose the death penalty.

Why did the crowd gather?

It was seen in the video that the stadium was so full that when people could not enter inside, they climbed the walls and gates. Such incidents are not rare in Afghanistan, but the gathering of such a large number of people shows how deeply the impact of the Taliban's 'public justice' has sunk among the people.

Is this the first such incident?

This is the 11th public execution by the Taliban since coming to power. Similar punishments were common under his previous regime (the 1990s)—death by stoning, flogging, and execution by mob.

Why are human rights groups concerned?

International organizations say that there is no transparency in these matters. Cases are disposed of quickly. The facility of a lawyer is limited. And verdicts are often given to instill fear, not to deliver justice.

This incident in Khost once again reminds the world how blurred the line between justice and fear is becoming in Afghanistan.