The teacher seen in a video abusing a student in Shireen Tagab district of Faryab province has been detained, provincial officials said.

In a video, which went viral on social media, a teacher of a religious seminary was beating his student. The incident is said to have happened six months ago in Sayad area of Shireen Tagab district. However, the video has recently been released on social media and has sparked outrage among Afghans.

“The teacher of the Darul Hifaz (religious seminary) is beating up his student. After the Mujahideen (Islamic Emirate forces) were informed of the issue, they went and arrested the teacher. The teacher is under investigation now,” said Shams Mohammadi, head of the Information and Culture department of Faryab.

Human rights activists said that beating students is against Islam.

“The children who are being beaten, they become violent in the future,” said Mohammad Ajmal Qadiri, a human rights activist.

“Most of the time in the schools, at religious seminaries, and within families, the children are facing violent behavior. This causes the children to be violent in the future,” said Zakiullah Mohammadi, a university instructor.

Islamic Emirate’s spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said that the beating of the students in the schools and religious seminaries is forbidden.

“There are some guidelines in this regard and also rules and discipline. There is no place for beating there (at seminaries). If someone commits such an action, they will be punished,” Mujahid said.

There have been many incidents of harsh treatment and the beating of students by their teachers in the schools and seminaries previously as well, which has sparked a public outcry.