HRW: Afghan war victims still denied justice by Australia, UK
HRW says accountability remains slow; urges legal reparations, not charity, for civilian killings during Afghanistan war
KABUL, Afghanistan (MNTV) — Families of Afghan civilians killed by foreign military forces during the two-decade war are still waiting for justice, as accountability processes by Australia and the United Kingdom remain slow, Human Rights Watch said in a statement.
According to the rights group, Australia has made some progress by launching a new online portal where victims’ families can submit complaints and seek compensation in both Persian and Pashto.
But this move comes five years after an official inquiry revealed credible evidence of war crimes—including extrajudicial killings of civilians and prisoners—by Australian troops.
Human Rights Watch’s statement, issued on May 19, underscores the persistent delays in bringing perpetrators to justice. Despite the findings of the Brereton report in 2020, which documented abuses committed by Australian special forces, only one soldier has been prosecuted to date.
The United Nations has criticized Australia’s approach to compensation, describing it as an act of “charitable discretion” rather than a right grounded in international law.
Patricia Gossman, Associate Asia Director at Human Rights Watch, said that the families of victims have waited for years, and compensation alone cannot replace legal accountability.
She emphasized that victims must be treated as rights-holders under international law, and that governments must ensure information about complaints and compensation procedures reaches Afghan communities.
The United Kingdom has made even less progress. Human Rights Watch described the U.K.’s response as inadequate, urging authorities to pursue meaningful investigations and uphold their responsibilities under international humanitarian law.
Human Rights Watch stressed the need for broader international efforts to hold accountable all nations involved in the Afghan conflict.
Human Rights Watch demanded comprehensive investigations and prosecutions to address the full scope of war crimes committed during the conflict. The organization urged the international community to support these efforts and uphold the rights of Afghan victims.
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