Brussels, 12/02/2014 (Agence Europe) - High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton has said she was very concerned about the criminal procedure code in Afghanistan which would restrict prosecutions for domestic violence and child abuse. She therefore urged the Afghan government on 10 February to amend the language of Article 26 of the Criminal Procedure Code “to avoid any misinterpretation, clarify their commitment to human rights and ensure consistency with international standards”. “If the draft law is passed, it could be used to stop the relatives of alleged abusers from appearing as prosecution witnesses in court. This would be a serious backward step in the justified and legitimate struggle for the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan”, Ashton stated in a press release.
The Afghan Parliament adopted this amended code on 21 January 2014. The ban on questioning the relatives of a suspected criminal could - if it is adopted - have repercussions for the victims of domestic and sexual violence, of child marriage, and of early or forced marriage - crimes for which the members of the family are often the only witnesses. (CG/transl.fl)