The Parliament of Afghanistan Should Suspend the Expulsion of Malalai Joya

Malalai Joya with Luisa Morganini in Rome in 2006

"I express my solidarity and my support to Ms Malalai Joya, member of the Parliament of Afghanistan, one of the examples of resistance of women against Taliban regime, who was suspended on 21th May 2007 by the parliament of Kabul with a wide majority."

Elected in the district of Farah, Malalai Joya, who is 29 years old, severely accused "warlords", already in December 2003: due to this speech she was threatened to be killed and raped, she suffered intimidations and out and out intimidations.

Presently, individual threats changed over into a political decision: after an interview on TV in which Malalai accused the Parliament to be "worse than a stall or a zoo, whose members are criminals and enemies of the people of Afghanistan", the Assembly of Kabul decided to suspend her from the parliamentary activities, hardly damaging the right to freedom of expression.

Moreover the Afghan Parliament ordered the High Court to file a case against her e required to the Interior Ministry to restrict Malalai's movements within the country, preventing her from travelling abroad.

I know Malalai since many years and, together with other Italian women, I appreciate her work and commitment.

Even if her opinions can be shared or not and the Parliament is not entirely composed of criminals, it's true – as many organizations for the protection of human rights, like Human Rights Watch, that 24 members of criminal gangs, 17 drug traffickers, 19 men accused of human rights violation, are currently part of the Parliament of Kabul.

Malalai's expulsion from the Parliament and the restriction to the freedom of her movements, are illegal, as her lawyers confirm.

This is the reason why I presented – as Vice President of the European Parliament – a formal complaint addressed to the Afghan Parliament and Embassy, as well as to the European Parliament so that this decision will be suspended as soon as possible and Malalai will be able to continue her work as deputy and activist for democracy in Afghanistan.