Reinstate Malalai Joya to Afghanistan's Parliament: Feminist Banned for Honesty
Human Rights Watch initiated a campaign for Joya's
reinstatement.
Full Article:
On May 21, 2007, the Lower House of the Afghan parliament voted to suspend Parliamentarian Malalai Joya after she said, in a television interview, that Parliament could be divided "into two groups -- one of which was working to uphold democratic principles while the other was undermining them, thereby serving the Afghan population even less than animals in a stable."
Human Rights Watch noted that members of parliament have regularly criticized each other, but no one else has been suspended. Joya, 29, is the youngest member of the Afghan legislature. In 2003, she gained international attention for speaking out publicly against warlords. Two years later, she was the top vote-getter from Farah province and was easily elected to the Lower House. Since her election, Joya has continued to be an outspoken defender and promoter of the rights of Afghan women and children. She has also continued to publicly call for accountability for war crimes, even those perpetrated by fellow parliamentarians.
Malalai recently told Human Rights Watch, "After I was expelled from parliament, my life became even more dangerous and I received numerous death threats. Even a member of parliament said in front of all on the day when they voted against me, that he will eliminate me if I will not be silent." In April 2008, the Ministry of Interior refused to issue Malalai a passport and added her name to a list of persons banned from leaving Afghanistan. Though Malalai filed a complaint over her suspension, the courts have not taken action on her case.
"Afghanistan is requesting billions of dollars in assistance from donors next month and presenting itself as an emerging democracy," said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. "If Malalai Joya remains suspended for exercising her right to free expression and has to keep moving around because of threats for which the government does nothing, what does this say about the state of human rights and democracy?"
