AHRDO

On December 4, AHRDO hosted an important side event during the ASP, titled “Strengthening Justice Mechanisms: Meeting Survivors’ Demands.” The event brought together experts and advocates to discuss justice, accountability, and the rights of Afghan war victims.   The panel opened with AHRDO’s Research and Investigation Director, Ghulam Sakhi, who reflected on Afghanistan’s ongoing and historical crimes and the persistent state of impunity. Ms. Shaharzad Akbar, Former Chairwoman of the #Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC), emphasized the importance of human rights work. She highlighted the systemic exclusion of Afghans from meaningful participation in shaping their future and stressed the need to end violence while ensuring Afghan voices are heard in global platforms and decisions.   Barrister Haydee Dijkstal highlighted the severe deprivation of fundamental rights for women and girls under the Taliban and noted the positive progress made in the ICC investigation into these atrocities.   Legal Advisor Azadah Raz Mohammad reflected on how, since 2021, the Taliban have reinstated the same gender apartheid policies they enforced in the 1990s, sharing her team’s efforts on the codification of gender apartheid to create international accountability mechanisms and stressed the importance of holding perpetrators accountable.   The event concluded with remarks from Richard Bennett, UN Special Rapporteur for Afghanistan, who described the convention as a “significant and moving event.” He emphasized that all victims deserve justice and called for a comprehensive approach to accountability, one that includes all responsible parties and addresses all phases of Afghanistan’s conflict.   The event was an important reminder of the need for continued international efforts to seek justice for Afghan victims and to ensure that survivors’ demands remain central to any accountability framework. #AHRDO extends its gratitude to all panelists, participants, and attendees who contributed to this critical discussion. Together, we move forward in the fight for justice and a peaceful future for Afghanistan. #ASP23

On December 3, AHRDO had the honor of hosting the International Convention of Afghan War Victims in The Hague, Netherlands. #AHRDO’s Director, Hadi Marifat, opened the event with an introductory address, followed by a speech from Volker Türk, who reflected on Afghanistan’s decades of conflict and impunity, emphasising the importance of a comprehensive international approach centred on survivors. Mr. Tomas Niklasson, Special Envoy of the EU for Afghanistan, delivered the opening remarks.  The convention's first session, titled “Supporting Truth-Telling of Afghan War Victims,” was moderated by Ms. Shaharzad Akbar, who highlighted how every corner of Afghanistan holds stories of pain from decades of violence, and while perpetrators may change, the violations persist.  This session featured personal testimonies from three victims and activists who spoke on gender persecution under the Taliban, LGBTQI+ rights, and attacks on education, particularly against the Hazara community.  One activist reflected: “More than three years have passed since the Taliban takeover. Despite using every platform to advocate for women’s rights, the world still fails to recognize that what’s happening in Afghanistan is gender apartheid.”  Another survivor recounted her harrowing experience of a school terrorist attack: “I was attacked by three suicide bombers, and I never sinned. To the perpetrators, my sin was simply my dream of continuing school.” An LGBTQI+ activist and victim shared: “The Taliban refuse to recognize LGBTQI+ rights or even admit that members of the LGBTQI+ community exist. But here I am before you today: I exist.”  The second session, titled “Seeking Avenues for Justice, Accountability, and Redress of Afghan War Victims,” was moderated by Ms. Rachel Reid. Panellists included Ms. Fereshta Abbasi (HRW Researcher), Gabriela Gonzales Rivas (Legal Officer, Victims Participation and Reparations Section), Ms. Mirjam Blom (Senior Prosecutor for International Crimes, National Prosecutor’s Office Rotterdam), and Mr. Richard Bennett (UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan).  The convention concluded with an exhibition of memorialization work featuring Body Maps and Memory Boxes. The high turnout, powerful victim testimonies, and insightful contributions from panellists showed the urgent need for truth-telling, accountability, memorialization, and a victim-centred approach to peace and justice.  We extend our heartfelt thanks to all participants, panellists, and activists who contributed to this significant event. May this convention mark only the first step toward accountability and a peaceful future for all victims and survivors of war.  

Tomorrow, 3 December, AHRDO will host the first International Convention of Afghan War Victims in The Hague, Netherlands. Afghanistan has endured conflict and human rights violations for decades, though these issues have intensified since the Taliban gained control of the country in 2021. The convention will provide Afghan war victims with a safe space to share their stories in pursuit of healing and justice. It will also feature a panel discussion of legal human rights experts, as well as an exhibit of Memory Boxes and Body Maps. Stay tuned to hear more details about the upcoming convention.

Swipe through to see paintings done by Mohammad Sabir (@moh.sabir_sabir), a Hazara artist who completed a virtual residency in partnership with AHRDO. On November 11, 2024, we had the pleasure of attending an online symposium to display the artwork of Sabir, who completed a virtual residency with us. Sabir’s art explores the genocide and persecution of the Hazara people. Through the virtual residency, Sabir created paintings which reflect the stories and experiences of Afghan war victims, basing his paintings on testimony collected by AHRDO. Thank you to Newcastle University, which made this partnership possible. #art #artist #Hazara #genocide #Afghanistan #NewcastleUniversity

On the International Day of Victims of Enforced Disappearances, we remember those who have been abducted from their homes and stolen from their families. These people are often imprisoned without legal process and face other human rights violations. In the most severe cases, they may be killed. Such is the story of Hussain Nazari. In 2014, he was running for Sar-e Pol Provincial Council. Hussain, along with nine companions, was abducted by unidentified armed men during his election campaign. All ten people were murdered by their captors. Provincial authorities attribute the abductions and murders to the Taliban. It is suspected that Hussain and his companions were targeted because they belonged to the Hazara ethnic group. At AHRDO, we are committed to documenting stories like Hussain’s and supporting victims so that there may be a day when enforced disappearances no longer occur. To read more about Hussain’s story and learn about others like him, visit the Afghanistan Memory Home. https://lnkd.in/e3uQBBTN

In the latest Justice Visions podcast, I'm in conversation with Tine Destrooper, Brigitte Herremans, and Sophia Bijleveld Milosevic on memorialization and documentation efforts in Afghanistan. We reflect on the merits of arts-based approaches, as well as the generative challenges they pose to databasing initiatives. I continue to be in awe of the work being done by AHRDO that reimagines how transitional justice is conceived and pursued. Special thanks to my dedicated colleagues at HURIDOCS, Natasha Todi and Phurbu Dolma, for their meticulous care and attention in shepherding this collaboration. Do give the podcast a listen and check out the Afghan Memory Home (https://lnkd.in/gcNwrhvT)

Listen to Dr. Sophia Milosevic Bijleveld, AHRDO’s lead in Memorialization and Transitional Justice, on the Justice Visions podcast. Accompanied by Tine Destrooper, Brigitte Herremans, and Bono Olgado, Dr. Bijleveld discusses how an art-based approach to memorialization can be healing for victims of atrocities, and how AHRDO incorporates this approach in its memorialization initiatives. https://lnkd.in/d8AHdqBq

Today is the 8th anniversary of the attack on the #EnlightenmentMovement. On July 23, 2016, two suicide bombers detonated their explosives among peaceful protesters at #Dehmazang, Kabul, killing and injuring hundreds of people, mostly young students. Today we remember the victims and honor their memory. This attack on a peaceful demonstration is only one of the many that the Hazara population has suffered in Afghanistan. Schools, gyms, educational centers, hospitals, vehicles, mosques, and protests have all been targets of heinous attacks against this community. Many of their stories have been collected on #AfghanistanMemoryHome in an effort to memorialize victims' lives and their stories. Find out more at: https://lnkd.in/dBehHinU

Ahead of the World Day for International Justice on July 17th, AHRDO’s director, Hadi Marifat, took part in the Coalition for the ICC’s campaign "Together for Justice", underscoring the importance of meaningful justice for victims of human rights violations and atrocity crimes. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/ekZvbtYy

As a member of the TJCG, AHRDO expresses its gratitude to the 6th Committee of the UN for their dedication to promoting international justice. At the same time we urge the committee to consider the codification of gender apartheid as a crime against humanity. Read the statement here: