AFGHAN DEATH PENALTY RAISES CONCERNS

the resumption of the death penalty in Afghanistan sparked concern among many of the nations that provide military and financial aid. Beyond moral qualms, critics and human rights activists are worried about the justice system, widely regarded as corrupt and incompetent. President Hamid Karzai declared a moratorium on executions in 2004, however today Karzai faces low approval ratings amid a sharp upswing in insurgent attacks and violent crimes. Implementing the death penalty was an instantly popular move, allowing Karzai to look tough on public safety and shore up support for his government. Karzai's spokesman, Humayun Hamidzada, acknowledged that public opinion played an important role in the decision to end the moratorium. However this is worrying considering the state of the judicial system. "We're still receiving lots of complaints about the judicial system, about the incompetence of judges, about bribery and corruption in various levels of courts," said Ahmad Fahim Hakim, deputy chairman of the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission.