For the Defense - Vol. 9, Issue 2 - 4

OPENING
STATEMENT
Wana Saadzoi, PACDL President
O
n November 28, 2021, Patrick Casey, who was at that
time the President-Elect of PACDL, contacted me. As
the Board Governance Committee Chairman, Pat asked
me if I would be interested in serving as the next PresidentElect
while he was the President. I remember this conversation
because it happened precisely an hour after my weekly Dari
lesson via Zoom with a human rights lawyer from Paktia
Province in Afghanistan. Dari is one of the languages spoken
in Afghanistan, where I was born. During the lesson, he shared
some disappointing news: our lessons were ending.
My tutor told me that due to the Taliban's takeover of
Afghanistan in mid-August 2021, all lawyers were required
to surrender their law licenses to them. The Afghanistan
Independent Bar Association (AIBA) was established in 2008
to regulate lawyers independently of the executive branch,
promote professional excellence and equal opportunity in
the legal profession, and champion the rule of law and social
justice.1
However, after the Taliban takeover, the AIBA was
also taken over by the Taliban, which is the reason for the
mandatory surrender of law licenses.2
The AIBA's by-laws
are considered to be among the most progressive of any
bar association globally, as they have self-imposed gender
quotas for bar leadership, including a quota for women on all
executive committees, as well as a requirement of at least one
woman vice-president.3
I vividly recall the somber tone of my tutor as he explained
to me that lawyers would no longer serve as independent
advocates for their clients, but as agents for the Taliban
government. He also informed me that the Taliban had no
intention of allowing women to practice law anymore. One
year later, the world learned that not a single law license has
been issued to a woman lawyer by the Taliban.4
During our Sunday morning phone call, I refrained from
sharing my experience with Pat as I struggled to articulate
my grief. However, whenever I feel disheartened by the harsh
realities faced by female lawyers in Afghanistan, I remind
myself of the trailblazing female leaders who have paved the
way for me at PACDL. These women include Past Presidents
Sara M. Webster, Caroline M. Roberto, and Barbara A. Zemlock
as well as countless others, who continue to work tirelessly
towards PACDL's betterment. They serve as an inspiration for
me to encourage more women to assume leadership roles at
PACDL, and to carry on the legacy of progress and gender
equality that they have established.
I am also prepared to lead PACDL in an ever-changing
landscape that demands innovation and adaptability. With the
4 For The Defense l Vol. 9, Issue 2
rise of technology, shifting legal environments, and changing
societal norms, it is crucial that we face these challenges
head-on to remain relevant and effective in the modern era.
That's why I believe that PACDL must continue to embrace
technology and make use of its advantages to improve
collaboration among our members, provide superior services,
and develop new ways of legal advocacy. Through virtual
platforms, members across the 67 counties in Pennsylvania
can communicate, share knowledge, and collaborate more
effectively, ultimately resulting in better sharing of best
practices.
The role of PACDL in championing justice and protecting
individual rights remains as critical as ever. By embracing
technological advancements, we can navigate the challenges
of tomorrow and continue to be an influential force in the
legal profession. Let's work together to guarantee that PACDL
remains a vital part of the legal community, paving the way
for the next generation of advocates for justice.
PANTONE
" Life's a wheel of fortune and it's my chance to spin it. " -
2955C
Tupac Shakur
CMYK
7406C
90/78/39/30
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234/194/56
HEXIDECIMAL
NOTES:
1
#153A5B
#EAC137
See, Fact Sheet, Important Information on the Afghan Independent Bar
Association (AIBA) (Afghanistan Independent Bar Association) ( " AIBA
Fact Sheet " ), https://krim.dk/kommenteret-lovsamling/straffesager/
straffeproces/733-afghan-independent-bar-association.pdf.
2
See, Letter to U.N. Secretary-General from International Bar Association
re: Taliban Takeover of Afghanistan Independent Bar Association
(International Bar Association ( " IBA " ), Nov. 30, 2021) ( " IBA Letter, Nov. 30,
2021 " ), https://www.ibanet.org/document?id=/IBA-letter-to-the-UN-onTaliban-takeover-of-AIBA-2021Nov30.
3
See,
Afghanistan: The Afghanistan Independent Bars Association stormed
by the Taliban (International Observatory of Lawyers at Risk ( " OIDA " ), Nov.
26, 2021) ( " International Observatory of Lawyers, Nov. 26, 2021 " ), https://
protect-lawyers.org/en/afghanistan-the-afghanistan-independent-barsassociation-stormed-by-the-taliban/.
4
See,
Jurist, Jan. 27, 2022, https://www.jurist.org/features/2022/01/27/
interview-attorney-saeeq-shajjan-entreats-we-need-to-raise-our-voices-forafghanistans-embattled-lawyers/.

https://krim.dk/kommenteret-lovsamling/straffesager/straffeproces/733-afghan-independent-bar-association.pdf https://krim.dk/kommenteret-lovsamling/straffesager/straffeproces/733-afghan-independent-bar-association.pdf https://www.ibanet.org/document?id=/IBA-letter-to-the-UN-on-Taliban-takeover-of-AIBA-2021Nov30 https://www.ibanet.org/document?id=/IBA-letter-to-the-UN-on-Taliban-takeover-of-AIBA-2021Nov30 https://protect-lawyers.org/en/afghanistan-the-afghanistan-independent-bars-association-stormed-by-the-taliban/ https://protect-lawyers.org/en/afghanistan-the-afghanistan-independent-bars-association-stormed-by-the-taliban/ https://www.jurist.org/features/2022/01/27/interview-attorney-saeeq-shajjan-entreats-we-need-to-raise-our-voices-for-afghanistans-embattled-lawyers/ https://www.jurist.org/features/2022/01/27/interview-attorney-saeeq-shajjan-entreats-we-need-to-raise-our-voices-for-afghanistans-embattled-lawyers/ https://www.jurist.org/features/2022/01/27/interview-attorney-saeeq-shajjan-entreats-we-need-to-raise-our-voices-for-afghanistans-embattled-lawyers/

For the Defense - Vol. 9, Issue 2

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