In response to a recent claim by Taliban officials that there are no threats against prosecutors or judges in Afghanistan, the International Organization for Transitional Justice and Peace (ITJP) has released a statement outlining the very real threat that members of the justice system face.
In the statement, ITJP disputes the claim made by the Taliban that the organization and its “Prosecutors for Prosecutors” campaign are “trying to facilitate the exit of personnel from Afghanistan and engaging in human trafficking.” It further cites credible reports and evidence indicating prosecutors being killed by the Taliban. In fact, according to ITJP’s data, 26 prosecutors have already been killed.
The targeting of prosecutors, however, is not the only way that the Taliban has threatened the justice system in Afghanistan. In the two years since its rise to power, they have prevented women lawyers from practicing, abolished the Attorney General’s Office, denied many access to legal recourse and justice. The Taliban has also abolished the Afghanistan Independent Bar Association.
Most significantly, the Taliban has gone back on its promise to provide amnesty for former government workers. As part of its attempt to rebrand from its initial regime and appear more lenient, the group promised not to target its former adversaries and those opposed to its leadership. However, it is clear today that these promises were empty.
The Taliban’s control poses a threat to the stability of Afghan society. Not only is the Taliban dismantling the justice system, putting the Afghan people at risk, but they are also demonstrating their unwillingness to commit to a free and fair Afghanistan. The world must not stand by as the Taliban endanger Afghanistan and its future.
Amu Tv August 07/31/2023; IJTP 07/31/2023; FMF 06/22/2023; FMF 07/26/2023; NYT
