Imagine dedicating your life to upholding the law and seeking justice

Imagine dedicating your life to upholding the law and seeking justice for the victims of crimes, only to find yourself hunted by the very criminals you helped to convict. Imagine living in constant fear of being killed or tortured by the Taliban, who have taken over your country and released thousands of prisoners from the jails. Imagine having to flee your home towards a neighboring country, where you face uncertainty, insecurity, and discrimination. This is the reality for thousands of former Afghan prosecutors and legal staff, who are now in desperate need of protection and assistance from the international community. The former Afghan prosecutors and legal staff were part of the justice sector that worked to implement the rule of law and human rights in Afghanistan for the past two decades. They handled cases involving murder, rape, forced marriage, drug trafficking, terrorism, and corruption. They faced threats and attacks from the Taliban and other armed groups, but they continued to do their job with courage and professionalism. They contributed to the development and stability of their country, and to the fight against global terrorism. But when the Taliban seized power in August 2021, they shut down the attorney general’s office and freed almost all convicted criminals from the prisons. They also issued a list of names of former prosecutors and legal staff, who they consider as enemies and traitors. Since then, the Taliban have been hunting them down, killing, injuring, or abducting them. More than 30 former prosecutors have been killed in the last two years. Many others have gone into hiding, changing their locations and identities, and living in constant fear for their lives and their families. Some of them have managed to escape to Pakistan, where they are waiting for their asylum requests to be processed by the UNHCR and other countries. But their situation there is also precarious and perilous. They face the risk of being deported back to Afghanistan, where they would face certain death. They live in overcrowded and unsanitary conditions, without access to basic services and protection. They suffer from trauma, depression, and hopelessness. These former Afghan prosecutors and legal staff are not criminals. They are not terrorists. They are not traitors. They are human rights defenders. They are people who risked their lives to uphold the law and seek justice for the people of Afghanistan. They deserve your respect, gratitude, and solidarity. They also deserve your urgent and effective action. We call on the international organizations and communities to give them resettlement and asylum, and to expedite their immigration cases. We urge the UNHCR, the US, the UK, Canada, Australia, and other countries to recognize their vulnerability and priority, and to provide them with safe and legal pathways to protection. We appeal to the humanitarian and legal organizations to provide them with assistance and advocacy, and to monitor their situation and needs. You cannot abandon these former Afghan prosecutors and legal staff, who have done so much for their country and for the world. You cannot let them be forgotten and forsaken. You cannot let them be killed and silenced. You must stand with them and support them. You must save them and protect them. You must act now, before it is too late.