Joint oral statement to Human Rights Council on Afghanistan
Afghanistan
On 30 March 2022, Lawyers for Lawyers alongside Lawyers’ Rights Watch Canada, the Law Society of England and Wales, and the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute, delivered an oral statement on Afghanistan during the General Debate. The General Debate took place during the 49th session of the UN Human Rights Council. The statement was endorsed by the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights.
The statement reads as follows:
Mr. President,
Lawyers’ Rights Watch Canada, the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute, The Law Society of England and Wales, and Lawyers for Lawyers, along with the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights, thank the High Commissioner for her reports on Afghanistan. We share her concern about the administration of justice in Afghanistan, including lack of access to legal assistance, fair trials, and remedies for victims of rights violations, particularly women, girls, and minorities.
Judges, lawyers, prosecutors, and other human rights defenders remain at risk, and many human rights organizations cannot operate due to imposed restrictions and lack of access to funding. Many women jurists and defenders are still in hiding.
We urge Afghanistan’s de facto authorities to comply with international human rights obligations as well as the UN Basic Principles on the Independence of the Judiciary, the UN Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers, the UN Guidelines on the Role of Prosecutors, and the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders.
We urge all Council members and observer States to ensure adequate humanitarian assistance for all people in need in Afghanistan. We also ask States to urgently take up the High Commissioner’s recommendation to provide effective international protection and resettlement options for all those at risk, including women jurists, defenders, and their families.
Thank you Mr. President.
Click here to see the video statement at 02:26:30.