In the name of Almighty Allah
CSHRN statement on the occasion of appointment of new commissioners of
Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC)
June, 18, 2013
Kabul-Afghanistan
His Excellency, Hamid Karzai, the President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan has recently introduced and appointed five new commissioners of Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC).
The representatives of the Afghan civil society held meetings with his Excellencyand submitted a list of potential and capable candidates. Howeverthe list of well experienced persons in the field of human rights, civil society values and democracy was submitted to the president as result of meetings butthe new five commissioners of the Independent Human Rights Commission have been appointed without considering the consultation processwith the civil society, and none of these five commissioners were mentioned in the list, provided by the civil society.
This issue induced the civil society to ask about the logic andrational beyond discourse of the civil society with the president in this connection. According to the information gained by civil society actors, some of the new commissioners are linked to political-ideological groups. Affiliation of commissioners brings the professionalism and independency of AIHRC as a national organization of Human Rights under the question.
The national institution, calledin Afghanistan the Independent Human Rights Commission, is constituted under Paris Principles. Based on these principles, states are liable to establish and support national institution of human rights based on their commitments to human rights.
Accordingtothese principles, national institutions of Human Rights are free of all kind of political-ideological interference. High commissioner and other commissioners of national Human Rights Iinstitutions should be free of any political-ideological affiliation and dependency to any political party. The commissioners must be committed to human rights values and work accountably and in close coordination with human rights organizations.
The principle, says that the government in a consultative and constructive cooperation approachwith the civil society, human rights activists, intellectuals, experts of social, economic, cultural and influential figures in the country, should appoint the commissioners of such national institution.
The Civil Society & Human Rights Network of Afghanistan (CSHRN) expresses its concerns over the political-ideologicalintervention of some political groups and parties on AIHRC’s programs. Such political interventions will incapacitatethe Independent Human Rights Commission to implement its programs and fulfill their valuable commitment towards the citizens. Political interference in internal affairs of AIHRCwill cause the commission not to be able to provide a realistic report of Human Rights situation, human rights violations, and the challenges facing human rights in Afghanistan.
CSHRN believes that, lack of skilled and expert figures in AIHRC’s structures will unable this institutionto apply and implementits major and important missions and duties accordingly, which are supporting, promoting, defending, and monitoring of Human Rights in the country.
CSHRN believes that the result of political interference and lack of sufficient capacity in the Commission will negatively affect the existence MarkAof AIHRC which is the highest benchmark index for National Human Rights Institutions. This will lowers the position of Afghan government to the prospective of international human rights centers, and seriously damage the international commitments of the Afghan government towards Human Rights values.
The Civil Society & Human Rights Network, while expressing its deepest concerns over the lack of government’s commitment on appointing capable commissioners in Independent Human Rights Commission,would like his Excellency, Hamid Karzai,the President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to review his decisionand grantee presence of committed and active figures of human rights and commissioners of AIHRC.
In hope of securing democracy and Human Rights in Afghanistan!