Against Suspension of Malalai Joya From the Parliament

Berlin, October 15, 2007 (PDF version)

This letter is signed individually by the following members of the German Bundestag (Parliament) and sent to Hamid Karzai: Kornelia Möller Bodo Ramelow Karin Binder Norman Paech Klaus Ernst Heike Hänsel Sevim Dağdelen Monika Knoche

Honourable President Hamid Karzai,

I am writing to you on behalf of unsettling information I have received concerning the suspension of Afghan congress woman Malalai Joya from parliament in May 2007. According to the news coverage on the case of Joya I wish to denounce her dismissal from parliament as well as the recent cases of threats and harassment, persecution and attempts to silence and intimidate the outspoken female politician and women’s rights advocate Joya.

In September 2007 the Left Party parliamentary group has hosted Malalai Joya in Berlin where she took part in several podium discussions and gave a speech on the political situation in Afghanistan. The German population and media were very attentive to her case and are following Joya’s life and political work in Afghanistan carefully. Her talks in Berlin were very successful and reached a great audience.

On May 21, 2007, with a gross majority, the Parliament suspended Joya for three years and ordered the High Court to file a case against her. They also directed the Interior Ministry to restrict her movements. This means she is not allowed to travel outside Afghanistan.