Following the recent worrying developments in Afghanistan, many European legal organisations express their deep concern over the situation in Afghanistan, especially regarding women, human rights defenders, and those working in the justice sector, in particular lawyers, judges, and prosecutors. Many lawyers in Afghanistan are being specifically targeted, threatened and harassed based on their legitimate activities as lawyers and many of them are fearing for their lives.

The ECBA signs a joint call to urge the relevant authorities and organisations to provide adequate protection to these endangered lawyers. To this end, and given these very exceptional circumstances, the signatory organisations also call for measures to facilitate the simplification and relaxation of asylum rules to allow for the evacuation and temporary reception of these lawyers at risk.