Kabul urged to cooperate on rights abuses

The Afghan government should deliver on promises to cooperate with the International Criminal Court's analysis of the grave crimes committed in Afghanistan, Human Rights Watch and the Transitional Justice Coordination Group (TJCG) said on Thursday.

Since 2007, the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) has been examining whether crimes committed in Afghanistan since May 2003 meet the threshold to open a formal investigation.

The prosecutor reported in November 2015 that its long-sought efforts to visit the country to assess national criminal proceedings, key to its analysis, had been frustrated.

"Afghanistan has been a justice-free zone for too long, with victims of grave abuses paying the highest price," said Richard Dicker, international justice director at Human Rights Watch.

"As an ICC member, the Afghan government should make good on its obligations to cooperate with the ICC and show its commitment to the rule of law."

The prosecutor's analysis covers possible war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by members of the Taliban, Afghan government forces, and international forces, including US forces.

Afghanistan became a member of the ICC on May 1, 2003.

--IANS

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