Agenda Item Agenda Item 6: Universal periodic review

Consideration of the Universal Periodic Review outcome of - Afghanistan A/HRC/41/5, A/HRC/41/5/Add.1

Statement by: International Organization for the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (EAFORD) and Geneva International Centre for Justice (GICJ)

4 July 2019

Thank you, Mr. President.

We would like to thank the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review of Afghanistan for their Report. We welcomed the ratification to the Optional Protocol of the Convention against Torture, as well as the attempt of national justice and judicial reform developed in recent times by the Afghani Government.

Our organization and Geneva International Centre for Justice support the idea that combatting impunity and ensuring justice to victims shall remain a top priority for the State. In the context of the armed conflict in Afghanistan, grave violations of human rights law and humanitarian law have been committed against the civilian population by all parties to the conflict. Such violations include child recruitment, torture of detainees, summary executions and enforced disappearances.

Given the decision of the International Criminal Court Pre-Trial Chamber to reject the request of the Prosecutor to proceed with an investigation into alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Afghanistan, we urge the State to:

• To investigate all incidents of civilian casualties and alleged crimes occurred during the ­armed conflict;
• To prosecute those responsible, either belonging to armed groups or security forces;
• To provide remedies and reparations to the victims;
• To ensure the protection of civilians, and to ensure that all officers and soldiers of the Afghan national security and defence forces, as well as the officials in the judiciary and law enforcement, are fully trained on international humanitarian and human rights law.

Thank you.

Justice, Human rights, Geneva, geneva4justice, GICJ, Geneva International Centre For Justice