Modified amnesty bill passes

The Washington Post reported Sunday that Afghan lawmakers passed a new bill granting limited amnesty to suspected war criminals who have committed serious atrocities in Afghanistan.

The total amnesty bill initially approved by the parliament sparked uproar, both within the country, and in the international human rights community. President Hamid Karzai consequently made changes to the bill, inserting measures allowing victims to seek some form of justice.

Even though Karzai has attempted to find middle ground with his new wording, human rights advocates still maintain that punishing those guilty of war crimes is essential to bringing peace and stability to Afghanistan.

For the full article, click here.