Media - News
[CALS Seminar] Corruption and the Rule of Law in Afghanistan: Reflections of a Former Judge on the Anti-Corruption Court
On 29 August 2025, we hosted a powerful and emotional session featuring Judge Fahima Sirat, who shared her remarkable journey from serving as a judge in Kabul’s Anti-Corruption Justice Centre (ACJC) to living in exile. Her reflections shed light on the immense challenges of upholding justice amid systemic corruption and conflict in Afghanistan.
Judge Sirat recounted the ACJC’s landmark prosecutions, which broke the immunity of high-ranking officials, confiscated illicit funds, and returned them to the Afghan government. She highlighted the Centre’s role in restoring public trust through transparency, granting media access to court proceedings, and prosecuting prominent figures, including military and government leaders.
She also spoke candidly about the devastating impact of the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, which dismantled anti-corruption efforts, removed oversight, and consolidated control over Afghanistan’s financial resources, erasing years of progress and hope for accountability.
This tear-jerking session offered a rare, deeply personal glimpse into Afghanistan’s fight against corruption, its fleeting victories, and the enduring struggle for justice in a world forever changed.
