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Afghanistan lower house rejects Karzai justice minister nominee, 16 others

By Bernard Hibbitts (editor) and University of Pittsburgh School of Law students.

[JURIST] Incumbent Afghan Minister of Justice Sarwar Danish was among 17 cabinet nominees who were rejected on Saturday by the Wolesi Jirga, Afghanistan's lower house of parliament. Danish, who has served as Minister of Justice since 2004, is one of 11 current cabinet members nominated by Afghan President Hamid Karzai to fill posts in his new cabinet. Danish had previously been criticized for his inability to control Afghan jails and the mistreatment of detainees in Afghan custody. Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in Afghanistan Kai Eide said Sunday that the lack of a full cabinet was a "political setback, in the sense that it prolongs the situation without a functioning government," but expressed hope that parliament's use of its constitutional authority would result in a more transparent and accountable government. In November, Afghan authorities announced that they had questioned two cabinet ministers and were investigating 15 other government officials on corruption charges, but would not release their identities pursuant to Afghan law. The announcement came a week after Karzai vowed in his inaugural address to fight governmental corruption, and in the face of growing international pressure. Karzai announced the formation of a commission to investigate corruption in November, after Afghanistan was ranked by Transparency International as the second most corrupt country in the world. Karzai was declared the winner of the controversial presidential election in early November when challenger Abdullah Abdullah withdrew from the runoff.

Full post as published by JURIST - The Paper Chase on January 03, 2010 (boomark / email).