The Long Wait for Justice: Will the ICC Investigate Crimes in the Afghanistan Situation?
Kabul,
New York, Paris, The Hague, 20 November 2018 - Today marks one year
since the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) sought
authorisationto open an investigation into war crimes and crimes
against humanity allegedly committed by various parties, including the
Taliban, Afghan forces and U.S. military and CIA officials, in the
situation of Afghanistan since 2003. Having long advocated for the need
for accountability in Afghanistan, the International Federation for
Human Rights (FIDH), Armanshahr/OPEN ASIA, and the Center for
Constitutional Rights (CCR) welcomed
the Prosecutor’s decision to finally proceed with an investigation. One
year on, we express our concern and dismay that the victims are still
waiting and wondering whether a competent and independent international
court will ever look into the crimes committed against them.
The situation in Afghanistan has been under a preliminary examination by the ICC since 2007. During this time, the ICC Prosecutor assessed whether there was a reasonable basis to believe that crimes falling within the Court’s jurisdiction had been committed and whether genuine investigations and prosecutions had been or were being carried out on the national level. The Prosecutor also assessed the admissibility of potential cases in terms of gravity and the interests of justice. After being satisfied that the legal requirements were met, on 20 November 2017 the Prosecutor requested the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber’s authorisation to proceed with an investigation.
“After a preliminary examination that lasted a decade, an additional year of waiting for victims is unacceptable. Victims who were overwhelmingly in favour of the commencement of this investigation and who continue to suffer from the crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in the context of the ongoing armed conflict, deserve to know if justice is on the horizon and if the ICC is ready to bring them relief,” said FIDH Vice-President and Armanshahr/OPEN ASIA Executive Director Guissou Jahangiri.
The amount of time taken to decide on the Afghanistan request is unprecedented. This is the fifth situation in which the Prosecutor decides to open an investigation proprio motu (i.e. initiating an investigation without being seized by a referral from a State Party or the United Nations Security Council). In such cases, the Prosecutor can only proceed with an investigation after receiving authorisation from a bench of three Pre-Trial Chamber judges. In the four former authorisation requests, a decision has always been rendered relatively shortly after the request: 50 days for Burundi; 102 for Cote d’Ivoire; 106 for Georgia; and 125 for Kenya. U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton attacked the ICC, declaring it "dead to us," and threatened sanctions against the Court and prosecution of its judges and prosecutors if the investigation is opened.
“The Prosecutor’s request made clear that there is a reasonable basis to investigate crimes by the Taliban, Afghan forces and by U.S. actors for torture in Afghanistan and on the territory of other States Parties. While the U.S., in particular, has spoken out against opening the investigation, the judges must act with independence and issue their decision without further delay,” said Senior Staff Attorney at the U.S.-based Center for Constitutional Rights, Katherine Gallagher.
Following the Prosecutor’s request, victims had two months to submit their observations. Despite logistical difficulties, including the short period of time for the submissions, as well as the escalation of violence in Afghanistan, hundreds of representations were submitted by, or on behalf of, Afghan victims. Submissions expressed their views on why an investigation by the ICC is important, and on what the scope of such an investigation should be. Likewise, victims of the U.S. torture program, including Guled Duran and Sharqawi Al Hajj who are both currently detained at Guantánamo Bay, submitted their representations. The submission period showed that victims’ demands for justice is and will remain high despite the challenges on the ground. It was also a valuable opportunity for the ICC to learn how to facilitate interaction with, and access to, victims in a challenging environment.
If an investigation in the situation of Afghanistan is authorised, it will be the second ICC investigation outside of Africa, after the ICC opened an investigation in Georgia in January 2016, and the first in Asia.
For more information, please read FIDH-OPEN ASIA/Armanshahr/CCR Q&A on Afghanistan and the ICC.
FIDH (International Federation for Human Rights) is an international human rights NGO federating 184 organisations from 112 countries. Since 1922, FIDH has been defending all civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights as set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Armanshahr/ OPEN ASIA is an independent non-profit citizens’ organisation that strives to create the proper channels to fulfil social and popular demands for democracy, human rights, justice and rule of law. Armanshahr Foundation also aims to achieve solidarity, progress and peace through exchanges of ideas and dialogue at the heart of Asia.
The situation in Afghanistan has been under a preliminary examination by the ICC since 2007. During this time, the ICC Prosecutor assessed whether there was a reasonable basis to believe that crimes falling within the Court’s jurisdiction had been committed and whether genuine investigations and prosecutions had been or were being carried out on the national level. The Prosecutor also assessed the admissibility of potential cases in terms of gravity and the interests of justice. After being satisfied that the legal requirements were met, on 20 November 2017 the Prosecutor requested the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber’s authorisation to proceed with an investigation.
“After a preliminary examination that lasted a decade, an additional year of waiting for victims is unacceptable. Victims who were overwhelmingly in favour of the commencement of this investigation and who continue to suffer from the crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in the context of the ongoing armed conflict, deserve to know if justice is on the horizon and if the ICC is ready to bring them relief,” said FIDH Vice-President and Armanshahr/OPEN ASIA Executive Director Guissou Jahangiri.
The amount of time taken to decide on the Afghanistan request is unprecedented. This is the fifth situation in which the Prosecutor decides to open an investigation proprio motu (i.e. initiating an investigation without being seized by a referral from a State Party or the United Nations Security Council). In such cases, the Prosecutor can only proceed with an investigation after receiving authorisation from a bench of three Pre-Trial Chamber judges. In the four former authorisation requests, a decision has always been rendered relatively shortly after the request: 50 days for Burundi; 102 for Cote d’Ivoire; 106 for Georgia; and 125 for Kenya. U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton attacked the ICC, declaring it "dead to us," and threatened sanctions against the Court and prosecution of its judges and prosecutors if the investigation is opened.
“The Prosecutor’s request made clear that there is a reasonable basis to investigate crimes by the Taliban, Afghan forces and by U.S. actors for torture in Afghanistan and on the territory of other States Parties. While the U.S., in particular, has spoken out against opening the investigation, the judges must act with independence and issue their decision without further delay,” said Senior Staff Attorney at the U.S.-based Center for Constitutional Rights, Katherine Gallagher.
Following the Prosecutor’s request, victims had two months to submit their observations. Despite logistical difficulties, including the short period of time for the submissions, as well as the escalation of violence in Afghanistan, hundreds of representations were submitted by, or on behalf of, Afghan victims. Submissions expressed their views on why an investigation by the ICC is important, and on what the scope of such an investigation should be. Likewise, victims of the U.S. torture program, including Guled Duran and Sharqawi Al Hajj who are both currently detained at Guantánamo Bay, submitted their representations. The submission period showed that victims’ demands for justice is and will remain high despite the challenges on the ground. It was also a valuable opportunity for the ICC to learn how to facilitate interaction with, and access to, victims in a challenging environment.
If an investigation in the situation of Afghanistan is authorised, it will be the second ICC investigation outside of Africa, after the ICC opened an investigation in Georgia in January 2016, and the first in Asia.
For more information, please read FIDH-OPEN ASIA/Armanshahr/CCR Q&A on Afghanistan and the ICC.
FIDH (International Federation for Human Rights) is an international human rights NGO federating 184 organisations from 112 countries. Since 1922, FIDH has been defending all civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights as set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Armanshahr/ OPEN ASIA is an independent non-profit citizens’ organisation that strives to create the proper channels to fulfil social and popular demands for democracy, human rights, justice and rule of law. Armanshahr Foundation also aims to achieve solidarity, progress and peace through exchanges of ideas and dialogue at the heart of Asia.
