Afghanistan carried out its first execution since the...

Afghanistan carried out its first execution since the fall of the Taliban, putting a bullet to the head of Abdullah Shah, a former military commander convicted of more than 20 murders.
The government did not acknowledge the execution at a jail just east of the capital until it was revealed by Amnesty International on April 27.
AI accused the government of carrying out the sentence without affording the accused "even the most basic standards" of fairness, and said the suspect was likely silenced so he could not testify against commanders allied to the government who had allegedly carried violated human rights.
"Amnesty fears that Abdullah Shah's execution may have been an attempt by powerful political players to eliminate a key witness to human rights abuses," the group said. "During his detention, Abdullah Shah reportedly revealed first hand evidence against several regional commanders currently in positions of power against whom no charges have been brought."
Jawed Ludin, a spokesman for US-backed President Hamid Karzai, said the Afghan leader signed the death warrant reluctantly, in the interest of justice.
"The president felt compelled by the need to ensure justice to the victims, especially in view of the nature of the crimes he committed," Ludin told AP. "He personally, obviously, was extremely reluctant, and regrets having to do this, but it was the nature of the case."
Ludin said Karzai had personally commuted two prior death sentences, but was compelled by the heinousness of the crime. Shah was convicted of killing one wife by pouring boiling water over her body and murdering his infant daughter by banging her repeatedly against a wall.
Abdul Mahmood Daqiq, the director of the Attorney General's office, said Shah was executed in Pul-e-Charkhi jail with a bullet to the back of the head. He said the death sentence was carried out in front of witnesses including representatives of the Afghan police and the Attorney General's office. Doctors were also on hand.
Ludin said Karzai ordered a review of the case after Shah was first found guilty, and that a further investigation also confirmed his guilt. He said the death sentence was delayed for months while the government addressed concerns of local and international human rights groups.
Abdullah Shah was first convicted of more than 20 counts of murder in special court proceedings in October 2002.
Nine people testified against him at the trial, including another wife he tried to burn to death by dousing her with gasoline and setting her on fire.
The bodies of many of Shah's victims were found in a well in Paghman district, just east of the capital.
Amnesty said Shah was not provided a defence attorney at a secret trial, and that the first judge in his case was dismissed for taking a bribe. The second judge, the group said, came under pressure from the Supreme Court to impose the sentence.
Shah claimed during trial that a confession was obtained under torture, but Amnesty said those charges were not properly investigated.