AI welcomes the decision of the federal cabinet on 2 October 1995 to approve a bill which seeks to abolish public flogging of prisoners in all cases in which whipping is not imposed as a “hadd” or mandatory punishment prescribed by Islamic law. However, AI believes that the punishment of whipping is a cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment and should be abolished altogether. This document describes recent cases of public whipping and summarizes the legal provisions relating to the punishment of whipping. It then sets out the international human rights standards that prohibit such punishments and the participation of medical staff in the infliction of such punishments.
