The international court will Investigation of crimes in Afghanistan
The international court will Investigation of crimes in Afghanistan |Investigation of alleged crimes in Afghanistan begins in an international court. The International Criminal Court ICC launches a three-day hearing in connection with an investigation into alleged crimes during the long war in Afghanistan. According to a news agency AP report, Fergal Gainor, a lawyer representing 82 Afghan victims in a court located in the Netherlands’ city of The Hague, declared Afghanistan a historic day for accountability.
Remember that in April this year, the judges rejected a petition filed by judicial prosecutor Fateo Bensoda regarding the investigation into the crimes of the Taliban, Afghan security forces, the US military, and intelligence agencies in Afghanistan.
The International Criminal Court ICC launches a three-day hearing in connection with an investigation into alleged crimes during the long war in Afghanistan. According to a news agency AP report, Fergal Gainor, a lawyer representing 82 Afghan victims in a court located in the Netherlands’ city of The Hague, declared Afghanistan a historic day for accountability. Remember that in April this year, the judges rejected a petition filed by judicial prosecutor Fateo Bensoda regarding the investigation into the crimes of the Taliban, Afghan security forces, the US military, and intelligence agencies in Afghanistan. The judges ruled that ‘the investigation does not meet the requirements of justice as it will probably fail because of non-cooperation, while victims and human rights organizations condemned the decision.
The ICC decision came a month after US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo banned ICC staff from issuing visas to American soldiers for investigating criminal charges in Afghanistan or elsewhere. Prosecutor Fateo Bensuda called for the investigation to be launched, saying there was solid information that US military and intelligence agencies were ‘involved in violence, cruelty, honor-bearing, rap, sexual abuse in Afghanistan and other affected areas. The Taliban and other militant groups have killed more than 17,000 civilians since 2009, including the targeted killing of nearly 7,000, he said. Accusing the Afghan security forces of crimes, he said Afghan security forces tortured prisoners in government-run prisons.
The judges, despite rejecting Prosecutor Bensoudas’ request this year, admitted that the application, filed in 2017, is based on a strong investigation and that the crimes in Afghanistan fall within the limits of the ICC. The court had said that these strong cases will be heard before the court. The opening day of the hearing in The Hague emphasized whether victims have the right to appeal under the first court documents. Victims ‘lawyer Fergal Gainor told the five-member panel that the victims’ position must be taken in the appeal category. He said, ‘We are here to challenge their right to a decision that has been denied, which has shaken their hopes for justice and accountability. The lawyer said it was important that victims be appealed against a decision that was completely and clearly dangerous to their rights. States are not interested or unable to investigate crime in Afghanistan, so this is the only way in the world for a neutral investigation for victims, Fergal Gaynor told the court.
