Afghan MP calls for justice for rights abusers, warlords News
Afghan MP calls for justice for rights abusers, warlords

[JURIST] A day after the first democratically elected parliament in 30 years in Afghanistan [JURIST news archive] held its inaugural session [BBC report], proceedings in the national assembly nearly broke down Tuesday after a delegate called for all of the country's human rights abusers and "criminal warlords" be brought to justice. Malali Joya's comments came during parliament's first working session and were met with pounding fists and shouts that Joya sit down. Members of the newly-elected parliament [JURIST report] include Abdul Rasul Sayyaf, who has been accused of war crimes [HRW report; JURIST report] and Abdul Salaam Rocketi, a former Taliban commander. Joya made a similar call for warlords to be brought to justice during negotiations on the Afghan constitution [text] at the 2003 loya jirga. AP has more.