--- title: "27 Years Later, Taliban’s Public Execution of an Afghan Mother Still Haunts the World" english_title: "Afghanistan Public Execution: The Story of Sarmina’s Death Under Taliban Rule" publisher: "Truevision English News" canonical_url: "https://english.truevisionnews.com/news/380494/sarmina-public-execution-afghanistan-taliban-kabul-1999" published_at: "2026-08-31T09:14:00+05:30" category: "International" language: "en" image: "https://cf.zdn.im/img/truevisionnews.com/0/image-uploads/6a94f961b974d_sarmina-public-execution-afghanistan-taliban-kabul-1999.jpg" keywords: ["Sarmina public execution", "Afghanistan public execution", "Taliban execution", "Kabul Olympic Stadium", "Sarmina Afghanistan", "Taliban rule Afghanistan"] --- # 27 Years Later, Taliban’s Public Execution of an Afghan Mother Still Haunts the World > **Lead Summary:** **KABUL: **Even after 27 years, the memory of a public execution witnessed by tens of thousands of people in Afghanistan continues to remain deeply etched in the public consciousness. The execution of Sarmina, a 35-year-old Afghan woman, at Kabul’s Olympic Stadium in 1999 became one of the most disturbing images associated with the Taliban’s rule and its system of public punishment. ## Article Content **KABUL: **Even after 27 years, the memory of a public execution witnessed by tens of thousands of people in Afghanistan continues to remain deeply etched in the public consciousness. The execution of Sarmina, a 35-year-old Afghan woman, at Kabul’s Olympic Stadium in 1999 became one of the most disturbing images associated with the Taliban’s rule and its system of public punishment. On that day, the stadium was reportedly filled with around 30,000 spectators. Sarmina, a mother of seven, was brought onto the football field surrounded by armed Taliban fighters. She had been convicted of killing her husband, a police officer named Alauddin Khwasak. According to the account attributed to the Taliban, Sarmina had poisoned her husband and was subsequently accused of killing him. However, Sarmina reportedly maintained that she had committed the crime after suffering severe and prolonged domestic abuse. The circumstances surrounding her conviction and execution later attracted significant criticism from human rights activists, particularly over the manner in which the investigation and confession were handled. Sarmina was reportedly escorted onto the football field by armed men before being taken near the goalpost and made to kneel.She was then shot in the head by her brother-in-law. The execution took place in front of a huge crowd, with thousands of people witnessing her death. The execution later became the subject of international discussion because of the brutality of the punishment and the fact that it was carried out publicly. Footage of the 1999 execution was reportedly secretly recorded by an individual from within the crowd. The video later emerged and attracted international attention, becoming a disturbing visual record of public executions carried out during Taliban rule. Public executions were not an isolated phenomenon in Afghanistan under the Taliban. Similar punishments were carried out publicly on several occasions, drawing condemnation from human rights organisations around the world. Sarmina was reportedly only 16 years old when she married Alauddin Khwasak, a police officer who also ran a small general store. According to accounts about her life, Alauddin initially behaved as a kind and gentle husband. However, the relationship reportedly deteriorated over time. He allegedly began suspecting Sarmina of having relationships with other men and subsequently subjected her to physical abuse. The abuse reportedly extended to their two elder daughters, Najiba, 16, and Shaista, 14. The situation eventually reached a breaking point. According to reports, Sarmina and her daughter Najiba allegedly plotted to kill Alauddin. He was reportedly given sleeping pills and rendered unconscious before the attack. The Taliban's version of events stated that Alauddin was killed by being struck with a hammer. Some reports suggested that Sarmina was unwilling or unable to carry out the killing herself and that her daughter Najiba actually committed the act. After the incident, Sarmina and her daughter reportedly fled the house, claiming that the family had been attacked by robbers. However, Alauddin's brother reportedly became suspicious of their behaviour and informed the Taliban. The authorities subsequently arrested Sarmina and her daughter. One of the most controversial aspects of the case was Sarmina's alleged confession. According to reports, Sarmina eventually admitted responsibility after being subjected to severe physical abuse during interrogation. She reportedly told authorities that she alone had committed the killing. Human rights activists later raised serious questions about the circumstances in which the confession was obtained. They also pointed to the absence of what would now be considered a proper scientific investigation and questioned whether Sarmina had been given a fair opportunity to defend herself. As a result, questions surrounding the case have remained unresolved. Was Sarmina really guilty? More than two decades after the execution, the circumstances of Sarmina's case continue to raise difficult questions. The Taliban maintained that she was responsible for her husband's death. But human rights advocates questioned the investigation, the alleged use of violence to obtain a confession and the lack of a transparent judicial process. Her claim that she had suffered prolonged domestic abuse also added another troubling dimension to the case. Whether Sarmina was solely responsible for her husband's death, whether her daughter played the central role, or whether the circumstances were different from the official account remains difficult to establish conclusively. What is certain is that a 35-year-old mother of seven was publicly executed before thousands of people in Kabul in 1999, and the images of that day continue to serve as a grim reminder of the brutal punishments imposed under Taliban rule. Even 27 years later, the case remains a haunting chapter in Afghanistan's recent history—and a subject of continuing debate over justice, women's rights, domestic violence and the use of public executions as punishment. ### Related Links & Sources - [Original Story Source](https://english.truevisionnews.com/news/380494/sarmina-public-execution-afghanistan-taliban-kabul-1999)