To a group of international organizations, the message was clear: do not abandon Afghan legal professionals to the Taliban. In Madrid this Wednesday, Obaida Sharar Sharify spoke for 21 Afghan prosecutors and judges who have sought asylum in our country since last December after a difficult international protection process. They escaped a chaotic and perilous exit from Kabul when the Taliban seized control in August 2021, narrowly avoiding deportation and almost certain danger.
A delegation representing these women paid homage in Madrid, a gesture hosted by the Madrid Bar Association and supported by officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as they accompany those who have returned to their homeland through protection programs.
The initial effort to assist came from a small group within the legal community. Fourteen lawyers and the European Association of Judges and Prosecutors have continued their work to help relatives and colleagues. They aim to support more than 150 prosecutors waiting for an interview at the Spanish Embassy in Islamabad, with the goal of securing international protection in Spain. The women have traveled from Islamabad at their own expense after pressure from advocacy groups began to push the government to speed up procedures.
The rescue story includes a remarkable trip last summer by Ignacio Rodríguez Tucho, who stood with prosecutors Iria González and Inés Herreros, and Polish judge Monika Frackowiak. They witnessed firsthand the peril faced by Afghan women in Islamabad and stepped forward to contribute to rebuilding a democratic Afghanistan, badly damaged after the fall of Kabul and the withdrawal of the international community.
At the event, Rodríguez Tucho noted that since January 1, Pakistan tightened immigration policy toward Afghan citizens in irregular status, raising the risk of deportation for those lacking proper documentation. According to the 14 Lawyers collective, the Spanish embassy in Islamabad lacks sufficient resources, with only a single officer handling all cases.
In their remarks, Obaida and several colleagues—Farestha Parwani, Shamael Ahmadzai, Farahnaz Sahar, Hussnia Bakhtiyari, Fawzia Salihi, Gulalai Hotak, and Fatima Rashidi—expressed gratitude for their transfer to Spain, where they now reside in apartments managed by the Red Cross and supported by international organizations. A few of the original group have chosen to seek new lives in other destinations such as Canada or the United States.
According to their testimonies, many spent months without access to health care or education for their children, unable to report a home robbery, and living in constant fear of detention or deportation. Living outside formal systems meant higher costs for housing and medical care. Obaida herself described life in Spain as more affordable.
Lawyers in Pakistan
The Madrid Bar Association, led by Teresa Mínguez, recalled the legal hurdles Afghan lawyers faced after the Taliban arrived. A decree had barred Afghan lawyers from appearing in court unless they carried Taliban accreditation, a move that overwhelmed the country’s judicial infrastructure. This context underscored why the recent support network matters so much.
Herreros, president of the Progressive Prosecutors Union and a key supporter of the project, fondly remembered the moment she first met the women in Islamabad and the resolve they showed.
International Protection
The group emphasized that international protection is a universal right that binds democratic governments. They argued that no one should find themselves facing threat because of where they were born, and that the fate of Afghan women resonates with women everywhere. If women face danger in any country, the world is challenged to respond.
Portuguese judge Filipe Marques, former president of a regional human rights council, noted that the Islamabad operation could become a starting point for broader efforts. He stressed that Spain has both the responsibility and the opportunity to mobilize European governments once the European Union takes over its presidency in July. The call was clear: this is not merely a moral duty but a legal obligation.
Niyaz Mohammed Rasikh, the Afghan Prosecutors Association representative in exile, joined the dialogue from Islamabad and urged faster visa decisions. He stated that international protection is urgently needed and reinforced the persistence of a waiting group that includes many who have already waited over a year for appointments at the Spanish Embassy in Pakistan. In the region, there are also dozens of judges and hundreds of rights defenders facing similar risk, underscoring the scale of the ongoing crisis.
The conversations highlighted the enormous gaps still faced by those in Afghanistan and the more than a thousand legal professionals who have sought safety in various countries. The emphasis remained on practical steps—accelerating interviews, expanding protection options, and maintaining a coordinated international response to ensure that those who risk their lives for justice can rebuild their lives in safety.