By IANS,
New York : The Afghan government should end its sudden surge of executions and institute a moratorium on further executions, Human Rights Watch said Wednesday.
On Nov 20, the Afghan government executed eight people, ending a four-year virtual moratorium on the use of the death penalty, during which only two people were reportedly executed.
The weakness of the Afghan legal system and the routine failure of courts to meet international fair trial standards make Afghanistan’s use of the death penalty especially troubling, Human Rights Watch said.
Countries and donors supporting the Afghan government should make clear their opposition to the renewed use the death penalty.
“The Afghan government’s near total moratorium on the death penalty in recent years was a major departure from Taliban rule,” said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch.
“The eight hangings in a single day are a terrible step backwards for Afghanistan. President Hamid Karzai should stop future executions and commit to a formal moratorium.”
The Afghan government, which distributed photos of the executed men to journalists, said the men were hanged as punishment for “crimes and cruelty against children, women and people of Afghanistan.” Those crimes included murder, rape, sexual assault, kidnapping and robbery.