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A video showing a woman being publicly flogged after being convicted of alleged adultery in Libya has sparked widespread outrage, with human rights groups condemning the manner in which the punishment was carried out.
The incident reportedly took place in Sabha, southern Libya, where the woman was punished after being found guilty of zina, a legal and religious term under Libyan law referring to sexual relations outside a recognised marriage.
In the viral footage, a man is seen reading what was described as a ruling from the Sabha Criminal Court before a uniformed Judicial Police officer repeatedly flogs the woman, who remained seated with her face and body covered. Security vehicles were visible at the scene.
Rights group condemns public flogging
The National Institution for Human Rights in Libya (NIHRL) criticised the incident, describing it as a “dangerous precedent” and comparing it to practices associated with extremist organisations.
The group also questioned why the woman was reportedly punished alone, alleging that her alleged male partner was not subjected to the same treatment. It further accused the Sabha Criminal Court of ordering public floggings exclusively against women.
According to the organisation, the public execution of the sentence violated procedures outlined in Libya’s own legal framework.
Law and public reaction
Libya’s Law No. 70 of 1973 prescribes up to 100 lashes for adultery convictions, but it also requires strict conditions before such punishment is carried out, including medical clearance and execution inside a police station in the presence of a prosecutor, a doctor and designated witnesses.
As of the latest reports, neither the Sabha Criminal Court nor the Judicial Police had publicly commented on the incident.
The viral video has continued to fuel debate online, with many social media users and rights advocates condemning the public nature of the punishment and raising concerns over due process and the treatment of women under the law.
Watch the video below…
In Sabha city of Libya , a woman is whipped publicly for having sex outside marriage ( spinster ) according to Islamic law
If she was married, she would have been stoned to death pic.twitter.com/I5Tg3QAOCn
— Azlannnn (@Shaibu_AO) July 25, 2026