International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute evacuates over 100 women judges, lawyers, journalist, and their families
A team from the International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) led by Baroness Helena Kennedy QC, a leading barrister and an expert in human rights law, civil liberties and constitutional issues, Dr Ewelina Ochab, and Emily Foale, has been working with international and local partners, including Sir Charles Hoare, to evacuate women at risk from Afghanistan to Greece.
At the end of October 2021, the International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) team secured the evacuation of 79 women judges, lawyers, journalists and other human rights defenders, and their family members (over 370 people) from Afghanistan to Greece.
This is following the successful joint venture with Greece in September which evacuated 28 female judges and their families.
Over the course of the crisis caused by US withdrawal, IBAHRI has managed to evacuate almost 500 people from Afghanistan. This includes over 100 female judges and lawyers, amongst other high-profile journalists, human rights defenders and their families. The female judges and lawyers are in an especially precarious position for their role in sending Taliban fighters to prison, many of these fighters have now been released by the new Taliban Government and there is a real risk of retribution.
So far many of these Afghan evacuees have been re-settled in countries including Iceland, Ireland, Australia, USA, UK and Germany. IBAHRI is hoping to resettle all the families to other countries. Its aim is to find a home for each evacuated woman at risk by Christmas 2021.
A petition in the UK was recently delivered to 10 Downing Street by the IBAHRI team calling upon the UK Government to introduce emergency visas for human rights defenders from Afghanistan that would equip the UK Government to provide protection for those at risk. The petition was supported by prominent politicians, lawyers and human rights experts.
In order to continue these evacuations and resettlements, IBAHRI is also seeking to raise funds via their crowdfunding appeal https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-afghan-judges-lawyers-womens-activists