The fate of male judges in Afghanistan
di Marjana Sadat , di Marjana SadatAfter the Taliban takeover thousands of prisoners were released. Now they want to take revenge on the judges and prosecutors who sentenced them
After the fall of Kabul, a number of female Afghan judges left Afghanistan with the assistance of human rights institutions. However, frequent requests of help by male judges under threat from the Taliban have not received any response up to now.
On Saturday morning, November 14, Sayed Muddaththir Fazelpour, former Bamyan judge for the previous government, posted on his Facebook page a picture of himself and wrote: “Today, at 10:00 a.m., gunmen arrested me in the Bamyan bazaar. I was brought to the second district police station, and I am now being detained in a W.C. When I asked “why I am here?”, they replied that somebody had pressed charges against me, but there is nothing. Right now I am in prison for no reason, and nobody tells me why I am here…
After the fall of Kabul, a number of female Afghan judges left Afghanistan with the assistance of human rights institutions. However, frequent requests of help by male judges under threat from the Taliban have not received any response up to now.
On Saturday morning, November 14, Sayed Muddaththir Fazelpour, former Bamyan judge for the previous government, posted on his Facebook page a picture of himself and wrote: “Today, at 10:00 a.m., gunmen arrested me in the Bamyan bazaar. I was brought to the second district police station, and I am now being detained in a W.C. When I asked “why I am here?”, they replied that somebody had pressed charges against me, but there is nothing. Right now I am in prison for no reason, and nobody tells me why I am here”.
After the Taliban takeover thousands of prisoners were released, most of them criminals sentenced to short and long-term imprisonment or even death. Now they want to take revenge on the judges and prosecutors who sentenced them. Judges, prosecutors, and other staff working in justice institutions are all terrified because of this.
It’s been three months since the Taliban seized power and no judge nor any of the justice institutions staff have returned to their job. Shortly after they rose to power, female judges and prosecutors were ordered to stay at home. Nothing was said publicly regarding male judges. Approximately 2000 male judges have not returned to their jobs, and Taliban members have occupied their positions.
A number of former judges say the current Taliban chief justice considers them to be unqualified because they worked for the previous government. He believes Taliban's supporters, or people who have been with the Taliban for the past 20 years, are qualified to occupy these positions.
Because of their vulnerability, some female judges have been taken out of the country in past three months. Former head of Balkh primary court, investigating child abuse, Narges Hafedzada, currently acting as liason between Afghan female judges and women's rights and human rights institutions, says, “of 250 Afghan female judges, 150 have been taken out of Afghanistan and brought to a third country with the assistance of women's rights and human rights institutions. Most of them are living in uncertain conditions in the UAE, Greece, and Georgia, waiting for their visas to go on to their final destination. The process is very slow."
Hafedzada adds that Afghan female judges still in the country are living in hiding because they fear prisoners freed by the Taliban will take revenge. Organizations and institutions, such as the international association of women judges, justice staff institutions, the International Bar Association (IBA), and 14 Lawyers institutions, have not been able to obtain visas for them. Male judges under threat from the Taliban and former prisoners have not yet received any support or assistance.