Author: Sayed Hussain Hussainy

This author has written 1070 articles

(Angaara 5)

The Angaara Magazine is a bi-monthly magazine for persons dealing professionally with human rights. The magazine offers in depth articles and interviews on current human rights issues in Afghanistan. It is at present published in 5000 copies and is distributed directly through CSHRN. Thanks to the distribution via the regional offices of CSRHN in Herat, Mazar-e-Sharif and Jalalabad, it reaches also rather remote areas. The Angaara Magazine is used by universities as part of their teaching and studying material, by groups of intellectuals as base for discussions and by the parliament and the Afghan administration as a base of knowledge. ……………………………………………… Read The PDF

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Access to information essential element of citizenship

Interview with Mr. Abdul Hamid Safuwad, professor of the journalist faculty at Balkh University By Manocher Ibrahimi Qestion 1: Mr. Safuwat, first of all I would like to thank you for this opportunity. My first question is: what is the importance of access to information in Afghanistan today? Reply: I would like to thank CSHRN for this interview. I think access to information is a vital issue for the current Afghanistan. The participation of people in decisions taken by the government is very limited due to a lack of access to information by citizens. I think information should be accessible for all Afghans who are doing their best for establishing a democratic society. Otherwise, we are going to establish a centralized government, where citizens have only limited access to information. Such a situation increases corruption and injustice. Question 2: Some people call access to information the oxygen for democracy. Do you agree with that? Is access to information an important principle for democracy? Answer: Access to information is one of the main elements of democracy because access to information provides facilities for choosing the direction of development. Any obstacle regarding this choice will badly damage the legitimacy of power in Afghanistan. I think, legitimacy is an important element for any democracy. There are also a lot of national and international elements that should be clear for Afghans in order for them to understand the role of national and international actors in Afghanistan. In a nutshell, access to information gives citizens the capacity to understand the state, the international community and their own role in the current situation. Question 3: Why is access to information called oxygen for a democratic environment? Answer: I believe that access to information is the right to participate within the political structure in the…

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Access to information – a precondition for an accountable state and the respect for human rights

Why is access to information essential for human rights? Access to information means that citizens have the right to get information concerning civil, political, economic, social and cultural domains through the public administration. It is a principle of good governance that government information has to be available to the people. Relevant information includes for example policies, strategies, working programmes, financial and human resources available for the education or health sector, state expenditures, election procedures, and anti corruption measures. Exceptions to this principle have to be as few as possible; issues regarding national security or confidential data about individuals could be excluded. Access to information is at the same time a right in itself as also a mechanism to claim rights. Human rights regulate the relationship between citizens and the state apparatus. Having access to information creates informed citizens, promotes popular participation and enables citizens to understand their role in building democracy. It also enables the population to confront the state with realistic expectations as its capacities and possibilities are known. The claims by the population push the state to become more transparent and accountable, and to become less influenced by corruption. It will therefore be in a better position to fulfill its role and to respect the rights of all the people living under its administration. That is why access to information is an active tool for strengthening human rights culture, endorsing democracy and encouraging the culture of prioritizing the rule of law in society. What is the state of access to information today in Afghanistan? Worldwide, the acknowledgement of the importance of access to information has greatly increased in recent years and today about 85 countries dispose of provisions in their national legislation to guaranty this right. In Afghanistan , access to information has a foundation within…

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EXPOSURE AND PUBLICATION OF DEAD LIST OF NEARLY 5000 AFGHANS DURING 1978 AND 1979

 Awakening shock Afghanistan is a country of blood and tragedy. Different stages of its history, witnesses terrible crimes against humanity. During the last three decades, starting from the military coup of April 27, 1978, known as Sawour revolution up to the Taliban era or even so far, the country have been suffering many crimes against humanity, massacres and different kinds of destructions, through which thousands of people have lost their lives and many others, who are still under burdens of cruelty and organized crimes have been forgotten. Revealing the list of almost 5000 victims of organized murders that took place in 1978 and 1979, during Nurmahmad Taraki and Hafizullah Amin's era is an example of such crimes against humanity in the country. The list contains the names of those, who have been murdered through various allegations by AGSA, the secret police investigation department of that time. In terms of their location, the victims cover many areas of Afghanistan. Hence, releasing such a list after about 35 years put all people of the country in mourning and tragedy. There was no news about them for ages, at least now we realized that cruelty and crimes had taken their lives at the very beginning days and months when they were vanished or arrested, but many of the families of the victims were still unable to accept their deaths and were yet willing to see their love ones alive again; but these hopes were not that much high to encourage them talk about this long-term tragedy and get happy by hopping that they will return one day. The long years of crimes and inhumanity had taken away the opportunities from the hoping families of the victims to rely on their unsupported hopes. Hence, most families had kept hidden the memories and…

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(Angaara 4)

The Angaara Magazine is a bi-monthly magazine for persons dealing professionally with human rights. The magazine offers in depth articles and interviews on current human rights issues in Afghanistan. It is at present published in 5000 copies and is distributed directly through CSHRN. Thanks to the distribution via the regional offices of CSRHN in Herat, Mazar-e-Sharif and Jalalabad, it reaches also rather remote areas. The Angaara Magazine is used by universities as part of their teaching and studying material, by groups of intellectuals as base for discussions and by the parliament and the Afghan administration as a base of knowledge. ……………………………………………… Read The PDF

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(Angaara 3)

The Angaara Magazine is a bi-monthly magazine for persons dealing professionally with human rights. The magazine offers in depth articles and interviews on current human rights issues in Afghanistan. It is at present published in 5000 copies and is distributed directly through CSHRN. Thanks to the distribution via the regional offices of CSRHN in Herat, Mazar-e-Sharif and Jalalabad, it reaches also rather remote areas. The Angaara Magazine is used by universities as part of their teaching and studying material, by groups of intellectuals as base for discussions and by the parliament and the Afghan administration as a base of knowledge. ……………………………………………… Read The PDF

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All Afghan Women Union Support Access to Information Program of CSHRN

By Frozan Arezo CSHRN home page asked Ms. Suraia Perlika the chair person of All Afghan Women Union (AAWU) and women's rights activist to share her ideas about access to information program in Afghanistan. Question : First of all on behalf of CSHRN I would like to thanks you for the interview. My first question is why information plays an important role for our world today? Answer: Today our world is a world of information. Information paves the way of development in the social economic and political fields. Information facilitates the citizens to make right decisions. I believe information plays an important role in democratization in our societies in all over the world. Information supports us to make rights choices in the right time. Question: What do you think about access to information in Afghanistan , do you think that access to information is an important agenda for current developments in Afghanistan? Answer: I believe that access to information is not only a need for Afghan society, but it is an important element for democratization for both Afghanistan and international community who are involved in Afghanistan. During the presidential and parliamentarian elections in Afghanistan we experienced a lot of shortages and difficulties. One of the main reasons of difficulties was the luck of information; the Afghan citizen did not have access to information about the mechanisms, agendas and programs of the candidates and the election commissions. The Afghan people went to the electoral pools without having proper information. This is one of the important examples of consequence of lack of access to information in Afghanistan. We have also a lot of examples on access to information importance in the Afghan society. I think access to information makes citizens aware of their role and obligation in the society. Question:…

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Civil Society Institutions’ Press Conference Statement In protest of illegal trial of Shakila’s assassination accused and other victims of violence

In the name of Almighty Allah Civil Society Institutions' Press Conference Statement In protest of illegal trial of Shakila's assassination accused and other victims of violence Aug 27th , 2013 Dear compatriots and respected governmental officials: As you all know, human rights situation, minority rights and particularly women's rights and violence against them that can be found everywhere, is getting worse day by day to wipe out the democratic and human rights achievements of the last decade. The graph of violence against women has risen astonishingly during the past two years and women have been threatened due to fear and insecurity. For instance, in the past two years, we were witnessed of some arbitrary acts by the local strongmen in connection with violence against women as stoning, ear and nose cutting, rape and countless murders that took place against women, but unfortunately not pursued by government or because of their dominance the process of prosecution, investigation and trial face with serious troubles and difficulties that as a result, the accused persons acquitted. In this regard, we can point out the two trials «Shakila» and «Sahar Gul» in both of these two cases, despite the evidence and documents that proofs the committal of crime by the accused person, but they have been acquitted by the courts in complete disbelief. Regarding the case of Shakila, a 16 year-old girl, who was killed at Sayed Hadi Behishti's house (member of Bamiyan provincial council) on Jan 27 th , 2012 in Bamiyan province. In the first session of the primary court, the judge Mr. Ataullah Mateen has sent the case back to the court claiming that the investigations are incomplete. After the case transferred to Kabul, the new investigations have been carried out by Mr. Abdulghafar, attorney for precinct 15 th of…

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10 Women’s Rights Defender Organizations have strengthened and updated their Strategies

Based on the capacity development programs, the Civil Society & Human Rights Network of Afghanistan has initiated reinforcement educational programs of the 10 women's rights organizations in connection with the strategic programs of the member organizations of the network. Based on this program, the 10 active member organizations of the Network which have a valuable and important role in the society have been recognized and their strategic programs have been improved and strengthened. The program was organized in three phases: the first phase was conducting the educational program. During this phase, the officials of the mentioned institutions were trained and capacitated by the secretariat of CSHRN with the support of the strategic experts of the Danish Institute for Human Rights (DIHR). During the strategic educational program, strategic background, strategic management, and strategic activities have been focused. The role of the civil society in the structure of the political system and its importance in the political strategic system has been widely discussed in the program. In this program, the international experts made efforts in presenting some good instances of other countries as great lessons and experiences to be acquired by the 10 mentioned organizations. Beside, the program has provided the opportunity for these organizations to learn the way of using the strategies and arranging and implementing their programs accordingly. The second part of the program was engaged in updating and renewing the strategic programs of the mentioned organizations. By using the find outs of the first stage the 10 women's rights defenders organizations have coordinated their strategic programs in a joint program and presented them to the secretariat of CSHRN. The find outs and the information of the first phase helped them define their strategic goal and as active civil organizations specify their mission. The third phase of the…

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In order to learn about human rights, look at the performance in Afghanistan

The Angaara Magazine is a bi-monthly magazine for persons dealing professionally with human rights. The magazine offers in depth articles and interviews on current human rights issues in Afghanistan. It is at present published in 5000 copies and is distributed directly through CSHRN. Thanks to the distribution via the regional offices of CSRHN in Herat, Mazar-e-Sharif and Jalalabad, it reaches also rather remote areas. The Angaara Magazine is used by universities as part of their teaching and studying material, by groups of intellectuals as base for discussions and by the parliament and the Afghan administration as a base of knowledge.   ……………………………………………… Read The PDF

Continue ReadingIn order to learn about human rights, look at the performance in Afghanistan