Afghanistan Orders Arrest of VP Dostum’s Guards

Afghanistan’s Attorney General has ordered to arrest nine bodyguards of First Vice President General Abdul Rashid Dostum on charges related to the alleged abduction and sexual assault of Ahmad Ishchi, a political rival of Dostum, The Wall Street Journal reported.

According to the report, the arrest warrants were issued on Monday after the General and his men ignored three summonses to appear before the Attorney General for questioning regarding the allegations.

Mohammad Farid Hamidi, Attorney General of Afghanistan quoted saying “according to Afghan law [Vice President Dostum] could be suspended from his position and put under house arrest for his refusal to cooperate with the investigations”.

Two days ago, in an interview with Ariana News, the accuser, Ahmad Ishchi said he thinks the government has forgotten his case and urged the Attorney General Office to take legal steps to suspend Dostum from his post and announce a travel ban for him.

Ishchi, 63, the former governor of Jowzjan province has accused Gen. Dostum of ordering his rape with an assault rifle and other forms of torture after he was abducted some two months ago during a public game of Buzkashi in presence of hundreds of people in northern city of Shiberghan.

Dostum spokesmen has denied the accusations, calling them a baseless effort to defame the General, adding the Vice President is not necessarily answerable to anyone, although conceded that Dostum’s guards may have misbehaved with Ishchi.

Yet, Afghan government say Dostum would be subject to prosecution and punishment just as any other citizen as “Nobody is beyond the law”.

By: Hesamuddin Hesam