Female Afghan judges hunted by the murderers they convicted

Female Afghan judges hunted by the murderers they convicted

Image: Pixabay

Female Afghan judges hunted by the murderers they convicted. Since the Taliban took control over 220 female Afghan judges have gone into hiding. The Taliban have released thousands of convicted criminals from jail.

Female judges in Afghan fear retribution now that the Taliban have taken over. Many female judges who had fought for women’s rights in Afghanistan are now in hiding. They are in fear of their lives and have received death threats.

Speaking to the BBC one former judge told of how she has had to flee. Masooma, whose name has been changed has seen hundreds of men convicted during her career. Many of these men have been convicted for murder, torture and rape.

Since the Taliban took over and the criminals were released Masooma and many of the judges have been receiving death threats.

She told the BBC: “It was midnight when we heard the Taliban had freed all the prisoners from jail,”

“Immediately we fled. We left our home and everything behind.”

“Travelling by car out of the city, I wore a burka, so no-one would recognise me. Fortunately, we made it past all the Taliban checkpoints.”

Masooma’s neighbours contacted her to say that the Taliban had been at her house looking for her. Masooma recently sentenced one man to 20 years in prison. She had found him guilty of murdering his wife.

She said: “I can still see the image of that young woman in my mind. It was a brutal crime,”

“After the case was over, the criminal approached me and said: ‘When I get out of prison, I will do to you what I did to my wife.’

“At the time I didn’t take him seriously. But since the Taliban took power, he has called me many times and said he has taken all of my information from the court offices.

“He told me: ‘I will find you and have my revenge.'”

Bilal Karimi, Taliban spokesman told the BBC that the judges should not be afraid. He explained: “Female judges should live like any other family without fear. No-one should threaten them. Our special military units are obliged to investigate such complaints and act if there is a violation.”

He added: “Our general amnesty is sincere. But if some wish to file a case to leave the country, our request is that they do not do this and they stay in their country.”


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Alex
Written by

Alex Glenn

Originally from the UK, Alex is based in Almeria and is a web reporter for The Euro Weekly News covering international and Spanish national news. Got a news story you want to share? Then get in touch at editorial@euroweeklynews.com.

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