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Amnesty International urges Afghan gov’t prioritize release of women prisoners
The Amnesty International Friday urged the Afghan government to take immediate steps to implement President Ghani’s decree to release prisoners to control the spread of COVID-19.
The organization called on the authorities to prioritize women prisoners.
It said as the number of cases in Afghanistan rises, there are fears that prisoners in overcrowded detention facilities, often where up to five people are squeezed into a single cell in unsanitary conditions and without access to adequate health facilities, are at high risk of infection.
“Ten days have passed since Afghanistan’s President ordered the release of prisoners and nothing has happened. Every day, the risk to them rises. At particular risk are women prisoners, many of whom have children with them. There is ongoing discrimination against women and girls in general in Afghanistan,” said Biraj Patnaik, South Asia Director at Amnesty International.
He noted that this discrimination beside many other challenges makes women least important, emphasizing, “The government must take immediate measures for the release of these women and for them to be safely relocated to limit the risk to them,”
Afghan civil society groups have raised concerns about the conditions of women prisoners. In an open letter to President Ashraf Ghani this week, the Afghan Women’s Network pointed out that many women prisoners at risk have not committed serious crimes or are yet to be convicted. Many of them are also mothers, with their children in custody with them. Like elsewhere in South Asia, Afghanistan’s prisons are overpopulated.
Afghanistan faces particular challenges in dealing with the COVID-19 outbreak given the continuing conflict in the country, poor health infrastructure with just 300 ventilators, a shortage of doctors and other trained health workers, and a lack of testing facilities.
With a lockdown imposed in parts of the country, including Kabul, daily wage earners, internally displaced people and other marginalized are also at high risk – faced with the cruel choice between infection and starvation, in a country where the government is dependent on international assistance for three-quarters of its national budget.
The western province of Herat is the epicenter of the COVID-19 crisis, followed by Kabul, the capital. Both Herat and Kabul are where the majority of women prisoners are located.
To date 521 cases have been reported across the country, affecting 27 out of 34 provinces, and resulting in at least 15 deaths.
Afghanistan does not have the resources it needs to deal with this crisis. This makes it more important that the government takes whatever steps it can to limit the spread of the virus, starting with groups who are most at risks such as prisoners including women and marginalized.
“It’s also crucial that the international community steps in to bolster the Afghan government’s efforts. Few countries have suffered as much as Afghanistan in recent years. The people of Afghanistan must not be abandoned at this crucial moment when they urgently need the world’s attention,” Biraj Patnaik said.
The Embassy of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan in Malaysia on Tuesday held a ceremony to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the Islamic Emirate’s return to power. The event was attended by Malaysian government officials and diplomats, religious scholars, members of royal families, representatives of international and Islamic organizations, Afghan traders and Afghans living in Malaysia.
Naqibullah Ahmadi, the acting head of the embassy, described the anniversary as the result of the courage and sacrifices of the Afghan people and highlighted progress over the past five years in security, stability, economic growth, infrastructure and public services.
He emphasized balanced engagement with the international community and called for expanded cooperation between Afghanistan and Malaysia in trade, transit, agriculture, mining and investment.
Meanwhile, Dato’ Ahmad Azam Abdul Rahman, Special Adviser to Malaysia’s Foreign Minister, congratulated Afghanistan on the fifth anniversary of the victory and emphasized the continuation of relations between the two countries.
He expressed Malaysia’s readiness to share its experience in Islamic banking, halal certification, public health, agriculture, mining and good governance.
The ceremony also featured a video presentation highlighting developments in Afghanistan over the past five years. The event concluded with prayers for lasting peace, prosperity and national unity in Afghanistan.
Panjshir’s media office says that Mirdif Al-Qashouti, Qatar’s ambassador to Afghanistan, has visited Panjshir for the first time, following efforts by the provincial administration to attract investment and development projects.
Mohammad Agha Hakim, the governor of Panjshir, described relations between Afghanistan and Qatar as important during his meeting with the Qatari ambassador and called for increased investment by Islamic countries and Arab businessmen in the province.
Highlighting Panjshir’s potential in horticulture, agriculture and mining, he said apples, cherries, grapes and walnuts are among the province’s key products and that investment opportunities are available in these sectors. According to him, mining operations are currently underway at around 600 mines, while around 2,000 additional mines have been identified.
The Qatari ambassador described Afghanistan as a brotherly country and a longstanding friend of Qatar and reaffirmed his country’s support for Afghanistan. He said Qatar is committed to implementing various projects in Panjshir and plans to invest in establishing companies to process the province’s fresh and dried fruits.
A memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been signed between the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment and the Chamber of Industries and Mines to establish a joint-stock company aimed at financing major economic and infrastructure projects and promoting investment in Afghanistan.
The agreement was signed on Tuesday at the Government Media and Information Center in the presence of Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs.
Speaking at the ceremony, Baradar said the new company would provide a structured mechanism for mobilizing private capital to finance large-scale economic and infrastructure projects.
He said the private sector has a key role to play in Afghanistan’s economic growth, particularly in boosting domestic production, creating jobs, expanding exports and financing major development projects.
Baradar said the company would pool the capital of traders, industrialists and investors under an organized, transparent and legal framework, allowing their combined resources to be used for major projects.
He also said the Islamic Emirate had created a secure environment for investors and industrialists and was working to streamline administrative procedures, provide legal and economic facilities, and remove barriers to investment.
Baradar called on traders, industrialists and investors to pool their resources and jointly invest in Afghanistan’s economic development. He also urged government institutions to provide comprehensive support to the private sector.
Under the agreement, the joint-stock company will focus on implementing infrastructure projects across various sectors and is expected to create new opportunities for investment in the country.
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