Brazil judges seek humanitarian visa for Afghan judges

Fears have arisen as they may be persecuted by the Taliban

Published on 26/08/2021 - 15:45 By Felipe Pontes - Brasília

Two of the main judges’ associations in Brazil have made efforts this week in Brasília to seek to provide a humanitarian visa for the 270 female judges of Afghanistan after the Taliban resumed control of the country.

According to a communication sent to Brazil’s Foreign Ministry Tuesday (24) by the head of the National Association of Federal Judges of Brazil (Ajufe), Eduardo Fernandes, the Afghan magistrates “are in danger for carrying out the duty and also having tried and condemned members of the regime that resumed control of the country.”

Additionally, the head of the Brazilian Magistrates’ Association (AMB), Renata Gil, yesterday (25) met with the president of the Commission of Foreign Relations of the lower house, representative Aécio Neves to call from his to help granting the visas.

“The situation facing Afghan women is perplexing and alarming. The threats on the fundamental rights attained after years of fighting demand immediate action,” AMB’s president is reported to have said during the meeting.

The initiatives come in response to an appeal by the International Union of Magistrates (UIM in the Portuguese acronym), which issued a statement calling for the protection of the judges of Afghanistan last week.

The Taliban is a fundamentalist group that first ruled Afghanistan in the 1990s. They relegated a limited space in society for women, who were expelled from public office and could only appear in public in the presence of their husbands.

As the Taliban have returned to power, fears have arisen in the international community as new persecution may start targeting women who occupied positions of power in the last few years—which is the case with Afghan judges.

Translation: Fabrício Ferreira -  Edition: Denise Griesinger

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