On August 31, 2015, Ghor Province's primary court carried out the public lashing of a woman and a man in Firozkoh, the provincial capital. The pair received 100 lashes each after the court ruled they had engaged in unlawful sexual relations while unmarried. When questioned about the incident, Atta Muhammad Faruqi, a primary court judge, stated that the punishment was in accordance with article 130 of the Constitution and article 1 of the Penal Code. He further indicated that "The couple confessed four times before the court that they had a sexual relationship." Abdul Hai Khatib, who was serving as the governor's spokesperson at the time, stated, "They had relations a long time ago, but were arrested only early this month. Their punishment is based on Sharia law and will teach others a lesson."