Criminal Chamber of Pisa: “Solidarity to lawyers threatened in Afghanistan, governments must mobilize”
A complaint started by Penal Chamber of Pisa. Once again at the forefront of defending human rights. These are the words of those sentences issued yesterday on the occasion of the International Day of Lawyers threatened with regard to the serious conditions of lawyers in Afghanistan. The document was formulated by the executive of the Criminal Chamber of the Pisan Court under the supervision of the president Serena Caputo and the head of the Observatory of Lawyers in Danger of the Union of Criminal Chambers, Ezio Mentionand was read by the President of the Criminal Section of the Court of Pisa, Beatrice Dani. “We express our solidarity with our colleagues – they say indignantly from room 2 of the court -, that governments must mobilize immediately to restore the rule of law“.
Afghanistan, the land of trampled rights
The seizure of power by the Taliban in Afghanistan it brought about devastating changes in the legal profession and the administration of justice. “On November 22, 2021, the Ministry of Justice issued a decree depriving theIndependent Afghan Association of Lawyers (AIBA) of its independence and the power to issue professional licenses – reads the document produced by the Criminal Chamber of Pisa -. Its office was devastated, its funds were seized and worst of all, its database with the identity of all members was acquired. AIBA was placed under the control of the Ministry and therefore lost its specific function and the lawyers who in previous years had dedicated themselves to the defense of cases involving violations of human rights have become easy targets of ferocious attacks and reprisals by the Taliban. According to data provided by the association, 7 lawyers have been killed since AIBA has been dismantled and 146 have been arrested or are on trial“. Many lawyers who had the opportunity “have left the country – the text points out -, even if many of them have to face difficult conditions in temporary situations, waiting for a permanent permit, and many others find themselves in danger. Moreover, while before the return of the Taliban, women lawyers made up 25% of members of the Independent Afghan Association of Lawyers, to date professional licenses have only been issued to men. The women’s challenge advocate is for their very survival.”
Ezio Menzione (Observatory Lawyers in Danger): “We intervene to restore the rule of law”
“Unfortunately, it has taken us a lot in recent years Turkeywhere there is a real rage against the freedom of expression of lawyers – he explains Ezio Mention -. In the meantime, other realities have also appeared such as Iran where death sentences are carried out without even a trial and the same goes for Afghanistan where sentences are handed down in the name of the Sharia. It is a panorama that causes us great concern, because in these the rules are completely disregarded and distorted”. Going into the merits of the important role played by the Observatory, he adds: “We are called to intervene in the hope that the presence of European lawyers will keep those who find themselves judging in the tracks of the rules of procedure, in order to then bring back to our country what we have been direct witnesses in the attempt to bring out these realities in the eyes of colleagues and public opinion”.