"I share your concerns about the fate of legal practitioners in Afghanistan, who embody the values of Europe". The European Commissioner for Justice, Didier Reynders, replies to the letter of 26 August, with which the ministers of justice of Italy, France, Spain and Luxembourg requested interventions in favor of Afghan judges and lawyers, with whom the international community has collaborated in the last 20 years. Commissioner Reynders also sent a second letter on the same subject directly to Justice Minister Marta Cartabia.
The response of Commissioner Reynders comes at the same time as the meeting of the JHA, in Luxembourg, in which Italy - with Minister Cartabia - was the promoter of a debate on the Afghan situation: the need for coordination between the initiatives of the various countries was reiterated Europeans in order to favor the integration of jurists, who fled after the advent of the Taliban, and arrived in Europe. Reynders recalls that the Commission is on the side of the Afghan people and reiterates that the line is to coordinate all efforts with the Member States, especially to bring female magistrates to safety and to welcome them. In response to the justice ministers' request to immediately collect evidence of any human rights violations, Commissioner Reynders reports on ongoing contacts between his office and the Genocide network, to verify the possibility of their intervention and follow up on it. approach already tested in Syria. Reynders also writes that Eurojust could engage with its national correspondents on terrorism in the Member States.
If the use of battlefield evidence were applicable to the situation in Afghanistan, the Genocide network and Eurojust could support, Reynders said in the letter, the national authorities of the member states by providing advice and identifying responsibility for any reported human rights violations. To this end, "the EU presented a draft resolution on Afghanistan at the ongoing 48th session of the Human Rights Council (UN), asking for a special rapporteur to monitor the situation with additional powers in ascertaining the facts on human rights of women, girls and persons belonging to minorities, as well as the right to education and the prevention of torture ”.
The letter from Commissioner Reynders is available on the website www.giustizia.it