Afghan Biographies

AIHRC


Name AIHRC
Ethnic backgr.
Date of birth
Function/Grade Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission names
History and Biodata

The Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) says the Taliban have seized its offices and are interfering with its work.

The watchdog said in a statement: “Since August 15, AIHRC continues in office but has been unable to discharge its duties to the Afghan people.”

It claimed all AIHRC buildings had been occupied by the Taliban, who had also made appointments and used the commission’s assets like vehicles and computers. As per the new decision, the Independent Commission of Human Rights will be operational with a change in its name.(20210919)


AIHRC Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission as of 20200127:

Mrs. Shaharzad Akbar chairperson of Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission

was born in Jawzjan, Afghanistan in 1987, Shaharzad lived for a few years as refugee in Pakistan during the Taliban regime in Afghanistan. Shaharzad completed an MPhil at Oxford University as a Weidenfeld scholar in 2011; previously she obtained her BA (cum laude) in anthropology from Smith College in the U.S.served as Deputy National Security Council on Peace and Civilian Protection.
Shaharzad was previously Senior Advisor to Afghan President on High Development Councils (August 2017-August 2018) and in this capacity, coordinated the prioritization of development projects and programs for high level decision-making. Prior to this, Shaharzad was Country Director for Open Society Afghanistan (Sep 2014-July 2017), a non-profit that supports Afghan civil society and media in areas of peacebuilding, human rights and promoting tolerance. Before this, Shaharzad was partner and chief operating officer with QARA Consulting, a firm owned and run by young Afghans in Kabul which she co-founded in 2010, an analyst for the Free and Fair Elections Foundation, a journalist for BBC Afghanistan and a research assistant on the Women of Courage book project. In 2012, she was the first elected chairperson for the Afghanistan 1400 movement..

Deputy head of the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission:
Mohammad Naeem Nazari (20200414)

Commissioner Asadullah Yusufi,
son of Hassan Reza, was born in 1968 in Khushk-Aab village of Behsud District in Maidan-Wardak, Afghanistan. He started his elementary education in his birthplace, and finished his higher education in Kabul Religious School. Mr. Yusufi received his B.A. in Islamic Studies form Kabul branch of Payam-e-Noor University and is currently doing his masters degree in the same field and same university.
Mr. Yusufi is one of the active religious scholars of the country who has served as the Imam of Ittefaq Mosque in the West of Kabul for more than 17 years. In addition to that, he has taught at different religious schools for over 22 years.
Asadllah Yusufi has been the president of Ulama-e-Gharb-e-Kabul (West of Kabul Religious Scholars Council) for over 12 years in addition to holding the membership of Shiite Scholars Council of Afghanistan for the last eight years.
Mr. Yusufi is also the president of Abul-Fazl-al-Abbas Cultural Association in Kabul. Having been founded six years ago, this association is open to all people and is funded by Muslims donations.

Commissioner Mohammad Naim Nazari
is a native of Turkman Valley in Sorkh-e-Parsa district of Parwan province, but he was born in Kabul city in 1347. He graduated from Journalism Department at Balkh University in 1375. Nazari migrated to Pakistan in 1377 and started assistance with Cooperation Center for Afghanistan and worked at the Legal Aid Section of this center. Later, he became Editor of Taawon Magazine, the publication organ of the CCA. Since 1382, Commissioner Nazari has carried out many training workshops on Democracy, Human Rights, the Constitution and Elections. He worked as the in charge of Press and Publication of the Civil Society and Human Rights Network and Editor of Angaara Magazine, from 1383 till Saratan 1387. Naeem Nazari was elected to the post of Executive Director of the Civil Society and Human Rights Network in 2008, by the Executive Board of this network. Since then, he has been leading and managing this network with commitment and high efficiency.
With formation of the Mass Media law in the country, Naeem Nazari was introduced by the civil society institutions as the representative of these institutions to the High Council of Afghanistans Media.
As an elected representative of the Afghan civil society, Nazari was a member of the Access to Information Commission for a working term.
Commissioner Nazari was a participant in the recent three Consultative Loya Jirgas.

Commissioner Mrs. Benafsha Yaqubi
was born in a middleclass family in district 2 of Kabul city. The unfavorable conditions forced her to leave the country and migrate to Pakistan and Iran. She finished school at Narjis Visually Impaired Association and received her BA degree in the field of Persian Literature form Al-Zahra University in Tehran. After returning home in 2007, she worked for different educational projects in cooperation with some institutions including the Ministry of Education, Afghanistan Red Crescent, and also she involved in different media and press activities. In 2008, she established an NGO called Rahyab to render services to persons with different disabilities, including sensory disability.
Commissioner Yaqubi received her MA degree in the field of Law and Political Science from Payam-e-Noor University-Kabul Section. Mrs. Yaqubi can speak in Dari, Pashto and English. Commissioner Yaqubi is also a participant of the IVLP program supported by the State Department of America. In addition, she had worked as an attorney at the Attorney Generals Office. Now she serves as a Commissioner of the AIHRC.

Commissioner Shokrullah Mashkor
is a native of Nangarhar province and a civil activist who has been active in the areas of human rights protection, fight against administrative corruption, and promotion of peace and has worked with the national and international organizations since 15 years. He is one of the founders and leadership members of the key civil institutions, including Anti-corruption Network, Anti-administrative Corruption Watch, Coordination Council of Civil Institutions in the eastern zone, Justice Advocacy Network in the eastern zone, and Research Institution on Afghanistans Youth Affairs. He has also been a member of the OGP, a member of CS-JWG and a member of Human Rights Defenders Association in the country. He has cooperated with various civil institutions throughout the country.
As a human rights observer, Mashkor has collaborated with the national and international institutions in development of policies, strategies and laws, and has made efforts and advocacy for social justice, human rights and fight against corruption, inside and outside the country. He has worked closely with civil society institutions throughout the country and had close cooperation with the Council of Ulama and human rights institutions and has participated in international, regional and national conferences, representing the civil society institutions. Mashkor, was an independent candidate for the Parliamentary elections 1397 in Nangarhar province, and he also participated in the Peace Consultative Loya Jirga as a representative of the people of Ningarhar province.
Commissioner Mashkor has received his BA degree from Ningarhar University and studied in the fields of Fiquah ,Jurisprudence and Hadith for more than eight years.

Mashkor has mastered Pashto and Dari languages and is familiar with English and Arabic languages as well as with modern technologies.

Donor coordinator:
Mrs. Fatima Khalil 24 yrs. old), killed by bomb explosion in Kabul City.(20200628)

AIHRC Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission as of 20130619:

Rafi Firdaus, spokesman for the Administrative Affairs Department at the Presidential Palace said Karzai had appointed some new commissioners through issuing a decree.
Chairwoman:
Dr. Seema Samar
Spokesman Spokesperson:
Rafiullah Bedar Rafiullah Bidar Dr. Rafi Ullah Bedar (20140128) also mentioned as head of the AIHRC in the eastern region.(2013.04.11)
Head of the complaints section of the AIHRC:
Abdul Wahed Sirat (20180730)

Commissioners:

1. Farid Hamidi,
Ex Commissioner Mohamad Farid Hamidi was born in 1346 (1967) in Nangarhar Province. He completed his elementary studies at a local public school, and then attended the Afghanistan National police Academy and graduated with a B.A. in criminal law. Upon graduation from the Police Academy, Mr. Hamidi continued his studies at the Kabul University and graduated with excellent grades obtaining a B.A. in law and political science. Hamidi studied at Islamic Azad University and obtained a masters degree in criminology. Finally, last year he went to Harvard University to obtain his second masters degree in Public Administration
 

2. Syed Ahmad Zia Langari,
Commissioner Zia Langari has been, as an activist, involved in human rights activities since 1991. He worked in senior positions with national and international NGOs working for awareness raising and human rights programs. He attended several national and regional forums. A well-known human rights activist and advocate, before joining the Commission he worked in senior positions with CCA, an Afghan NGO mandated for human rights protection and promotion.
 

3. Dr. Suraya Subh Rang,
Dr. Soraya Rahim Sobhrang is a well known womens and human rights advocate and activist. Before joining the AIHRC, she was Technical and Political Deputy Minister in the Ministry of Womens Affairs. In 2005, she worked as an advisor for the womens rights protection and development unit of Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission, where later on, in Jan 2007 she was selected as a Commissioner. Besides having membership in national and international societies, Dr. Sobhrang has participated in several national and international conferences.
 

4. Maulvi Adul Rahman Hotak Mawlawi Abdul Rahman Hotak, is said to have previously worked for the Taliban (1996-1997) claimed the Civil Society and Human Rights Network (CSHRN) He said he had not been a Taliban fighter, just an editor of a newspaper published in Kandahar during the Taliban era. Hotak was working in a newspaper ( TOLO-e-Afghan ) in Kandahar province, after the Taliban came to Kabul, he worked in the Transport Ministry. After that, he was imprisoned in Bagram prison and then released. During President Karzai's era, he became a member of the Ulema Council.(20130627)


5. Mrs. Qadriya Yezdan Parast, Qadria Yazdanparast is a lawyer. During the presidency of Burhanuddin Rabbani, she headed the institute for women that preceded the Ministry of Women’s Affairs. She has a Jamiat-e-Islami background and also was a member of the 2005–2010 parliament where she chaired the human rights committee of the lower house.(20130627)
 

6. Wahidullah Arghun, Wahidudin Arghun has been an AIHRC staff member for many years. He was initially in charge of the Transitional Justice section in Kunduz and, for the last six years, served as the head of office in Badakhshan. He graduated from the Law Faculty in Kabul University and was deputy head of the prestigious Isteqlal High School during the Rabbani government.(20130627)
 

7. Ayub Asil, General Ayub Asil Mangal is from Paktia, has studied at the Police Academy in Kabul and also abroad. He served from 2004 to 2012 as a member of Independent Electoral Commission, has been a lecturer at the Faculty of Law at Kabul University and has worked at the Ministry of Interior.(20130627)

8. Mrs. Alam Nuristani, Hawa Alam Nuristani, who is currently a member of the High Peace Council. She was a Pashto news presenter for the Afghan state-run television station, RTA, and the head of the Department of Communications and Publications at the Ministry of Women’s Affairs. She was a member of Wolesi Jirga between 2005 and 2010, but failed to get re-elected.(20130627)

Mariam Zurmati, commissioner at the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission (20151206)
 

Civil society and human rights activists have been urging Karzai to appoint independent and experienced human rights experts to fill vacancies on the AIHRC.

 

Chairperson, Deputy and Commissioners AIHRC
(as of 20101125):
Dr. Sima Samar, Chair,
(Mr. Ahmad Fahim Hakim, Deputy Chair, mandate had expired on 16 December 2011 and has not been extended.)

(1. Mr. Ahmad Nader Nadery, mandate had expired on 16 December 2011 and has not been extended.)
2. Mr. Mohammad
3. Farid Hamidi,
4. Mohammad Musa Mahmoodi, Mohammad Musa Mahmoudi (20130304)
5. Dr. Soraya Sobhrang,
6. Mr. Ahmad Zia Langari,
(7. Mr. Abdul Karim Azizi,  had been removed by the commission (20121010))
(8. Mr. Gholam Mohammad Gharib, mandate had expired on 16 December 2011 and has not been extended.)

Ms. Hamida Barmaki (killed 20110128)

Commission Members

Dr. Sima Samar,

Chairperson Commissioner Dr. Sima Samar is a well known woman’s and human rights advocate and activist within national and international forums. Since 1994, Dr. Samar has received various international awards on women’s rights, human rights, democracy, and women for peace. Dr. Samar served as the first Deputy Chair and Minister of Women’s Affairs in the Interim Administration of Afghanistan. Before chairing the Commission, she was elected as the Vice Chair of the Emergency Loya Jirga. She was appointed as the Chair of the AIHRC by Mr. Karzai, Chairman of the Afghanistan Interim Administration.

Ahmad Fahim Hakim

Ex Commissioner Fahim Hakim is a qualified social, development and human rights advocate. He enjoys 20 years of experience of working as a grass-root peace builder and advocate for community empowerment and human rights. Before joining the AIHRC, he was director and founding member of Co-operation for peace and Unity (CPAU), as Afghan network for peace. AS an active member of Afghan civil society, he attended the Bonn Conference in 2001. Mr. Hakim completed his MA studies at PRDU, the University of York, York, UK, in 1998. In 2009, he was a commissioner and member of the Electoral complaints Commission (ECC) to deal with challenges and complaints related to presidential and provincial council's elections.

Ahmad Nader Nadery

Ex Commissioner Ahmad Nader Nadery was a Commissioner at the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission. He represented Afghan Civil Society at the UN peace talks for Afghanistan in the Bonn Conference 2001. Mr. Nadery works also as the Chairperson of Fair and Free Election Foundation of Afghanistan, he is a member of advisory board to Open Society Institute (OSI) Afghanistan programs. He has written extensively on politics and human rights in Afghanistan and is a member of Board of Editors of the Oxford Journal on Transitional Justice. He served as Spokesperson for the national grand assembly (Loya Jerga) in 2002. Prior to his appointment at the AIHRC he worked as country director for the international human rights law group (Global Rights). Mr. Nadery won several international awards and was recognized as an "Asian Hero" by Time Magazine in 2004. He was also a 21 Young Asia Leader's fellow with the Asia Society and is a member of it's international council . The World Economic Forum recognized Mr. Nadery as Young Global Leader (YGL) in 2008. He studied law and political sciences at the Kabul University and earned his masters degree on International Affairs from George Washington University.

Mohammad Farid Hamidi

Ex Commissioner Farid Hamidi is a well-known lawyer with extensive experience on criminology and investigation. He had attended various national and international conferences and events relevant to human rights promotion and protection. Before joining the Commission, Hamidi was member of the Emergency Loya Jirga and responsible for developing rules and regulation for election. He has worked closely with the Judicial Reform Commission in the training of lawyers and judges on international human rights law and standards.

Hamida Barmaki (killed 20110128)

Commissioner Hamida Barmaki is associate Professor of private law at Faculty of Law and Political Sciences of Kabul University. She is graduated from Faculty of Law and Political Sciences of Kabul University and has obtained Master Degree on Development, Innovation and Change from Bologna University, Italy. She worked as Country Representative of Max Planck German Institute and IIPEC French Institute in Kabul and as head of Law and Political Science department of National Center for Policy Research of Kabul University. She is the author of booklets in Women’s Rights in Islam and Afghan laws and member of women’s council of Kabul University. She worked as Legal Advisor of AREU, deputy dean of Faculty of Law and Political Sciences and was the member of Emergency Loya Jerga.

Dr. Soraya Sobhrang

Commissioner Dr. Soraya Rahim Sobhrang is a well known women’s and human rights advocate and activist. Before joining the AIHRC, she was Technical and Political Deputy Minister in the Ministry of Women’s Affairs. In 2005, she worked as an advisor for the women’s rights protection and development unit of Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission, where later on, in Jan 2007 she was selected as a Commissioner. Besides having membership in national and international societies, Dr. Sobhrang has participated in several national and international conferences.

Ahmad Zia Langari

Commissioner Zia Langari has been, as an activist, involved in human rights activities since 1991. He worked in senior positions with national and international NGOs working for awareness raising and human rights programs. He attended several national and regional forums. A well-known human rights activist and advocate, before joining the Commission he worked in senior positions with CCA, an Afghan NGO mandated for human rights protection and promotion.

Mr. Abdul Karim Azizi

Commissioner Abdul Karim Azizi is a well known educator with extensive experiences in field of education from curricula development and writing mathematics textbooks for primary schools to writing training manual for educators and Primary schools. Mr. Azizi possess a BSc Degree from faculty of science of Kabul University and MA Degree in education from University of Georgia, USA. Commissioner Mr. Azizi has diverse experiences of working with government offices, UNICEF-Kabul, and international organizations in Afghanistan. Before joining the AIHRC, Mr. Azizi was co-manager for a project for Strengthening  of Teachers Education Program (STEP) funded by Japan International Cooperation Association in Kabul.

Moulawee Ghulam Mohamad Ghareb

Mawlawi Ghulam Mohamad Gharib was born in Maroaf district of Kandahar Province 1948. He did get his primary Islamic education in Kandahar city; in 1973 he went to Karachi city of Pakistan and got his degree in Feqa and Feta. In time of Mouqawamat he was deputy for justice minister. In transitional government he was appointed director in Haj and Owqaf ministry. In 2004 he was leader of Kandahar clergy association. In Dec 2006 he was appointed commissioner of Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission.

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Mohammad Musa Mahmodi Mohammad Musa Mahmoodi

is the Executive Director of the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC). He is a committed Human Rights activist and lawyer with over 10 years of experience in the field of promotion and protection of human rights in Afghanistan. He has worked as Director of Bamyan Regional Office of the AIHRC and Deputy Country Director of National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI) in Afghanistan. Mohammad Musa Mahmodi is also a board member of the Free and Fair Election Foundation of Afghanistan (FEFA). He holds a law degree from Kabul University and earned his MPA and MAIR from Maxwell School of Syracuse University, USA.

Mr. Musa Mahamodi's E-mail: mahmodi@aihrc.org.af


More Background:

New commissioners were last appointed in 2013 by President Hamed Karzai. The nine commissioners appointed were: Dr. Sima Samar, Muhammad Farid Hamidi, Ahmad Zia Langari, Surya Subhrang (these were all AIHRC commissioners in the previous term, too), Wahiduddin Arghun, Hawa Alam Nuristani, General Ayub Asil Mangal, Qadria Yazdanparast and Mawlawi Abdul Rahman Hotak

From the above nine commissioners, four have since resigned due to other engagements: Farid Hamidi became the Attorney General, and Wahiddudin Arghun his deputy, joined the Attorney General’s Office in February 2018 . Surya Subhrang and Hawa Alam Nuristani are both standing for the upcoming parliamentary 2018 election.

CSWG was given the authority not only to collect the applications, but also to make the first shortlist of the 81 most qualified applicants through a lengthy process (as discussed later). The composition of the Selection Committee was also changed. Two more members from the chief executive’s team, the minister of justice and the minister of women’s affairs (one being a woman) have been added to the committee. So far, there is no sign of disagreement among the leadership of the National Unity Government, or between the president and his deputies about this mechanism. However, the situation may well change before the end of process. The Selection Committee consists of Sayed Yusuf Halim, the chief of justice (chair), Muhammad Farid Hamidi, the attorney general, Abdul Basir Anwar, the minister of justice, Dilbar Nazari, the minister of women affairs, and Muhammad Qasim Hashemzai, the chairperson of the Independent Commission for Overseeing the Implementation of the Constitution (ICOIC). Three members of the committee are from the president’s team (the chief of justice, head of the ICOIC and attorney general) and two from the chief executive’s team (the ministers of justice and women’s affairs).

CSWG should consist of seven well-known civil society and human rights activists, three of whom should be women. They are elected by the Secretariat of the Civil Society Joint Working Group. On 11 August 2018 , these seven members were elected. A few days later they were introduced to the AIHRC as the procedure provides for them to have an office in the AIHRC compound. The members are: Leya Jawad, chairwoman of Feminine Solidarity for Justice Organisation; Sakina Sakhi, chairwoman of the Support Vulnerable Persons Organisation; Nawida Kakar, chairwoman of the Women’s Association; Abdul Wadud Pedram, chairman of the Human Rights and Education about Violence Organisation; Abdul Jabar Paikan, chairman of the Afghanistan Countrywide Teachers Union; Dr Abdul Basir Turyalai, Chairman of the Afghan Amputee Cyclists for Rehabilitation and Recreation and; Hassan Hakimi, chairman of the Afghanistan Youth National Development and Social Organisation.
 

Last Modified 2021-12-24
Established 2010-11-25