The special rapporteur of the UN Commission on Human...

The special rapporteur of the UN Commission on Human Rights on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, Asma Jahangir, said at the end of her ten-day mission in Afghanistan: "I feel encouraged at the political will shown by the people and the government of Afghanistan to build peace and secure justice". She said that incidents of extrajudicial and summary executions had dramatically decreased, but there were still some cases to her attention. She specially mentioned that the lives of women remained vulnerable and that there were reports of killing of women by their family members in the name of morality. She said she was encouraged by the assurance of Afghan President Hamid Karzai that he would shortly recommend to the cabinet that Afghanistan should accede to the Statute of the International Court. Jahangir also recommended a halt to the death penalty until international standards for imposing capital punishment could be met. She also said an independent, international commission of inquiry should be set up to document crimes against humanity and other grave rights violations during Afghanistan's 23 years of conflict because the findings of such a commission would be a stepping stone towards a mechanism to bring perpetrators to justice. Jahangir said the cycle of violence in Afghanistan could not be halted unless impunity ended.