Abdullah Shah

Timeline

• April 20, 2004 — Abdullah Shah was executed by being shot in the back of the head.
• late 2001 — Afghanistan had the fall of the Taliban.
• October 2002 — Abdullah Shah was first convicted in special court proceedings.
• 1992–1996 — Abdullah Shah served under Zardad Khan during the Afghan Civil war.
• 1990s — Shah carried out attacks on travellers along the road between Jalalabad and Kabul in the 1990s.

Background

Abdullah Shah died on April 20, 2004. He was an Afghan man found guilty in Kabul of killing more than 20 people, including his wife. His sanctioned execution was the first in Afghanistan since the fall of the Taliban in late 2001. Shah served under Zardad Khan, even earning the nickname "Zardad's dog," who served under Gulbuddin Hekmatyar in the Civil war in Afghanistan (1992–1996). Shah and Zardad robbed travelers on the road from Kabul to Jalalabad. Shah was executed at Pul-e-Charkhi jail.

The offence

Shah was found guilty of killing more than 20 people, including his wife. The court heard Abdullah Shah murdered his baby daughter by banging her repeatedly against a wall. He was found guilty of killing one of his wives by pouring boiling water over her body. Another wife testified against him; she said he tried to burn her to death after dousing her with petrol. Many of Shah's victims were found in a well in Paghman District. Shah was convicted on 20 counts of murder in special court proceedings in October 2002.

Investigation

The court proceedings included testimony by multiple witnesses. Nine people testified against him at the trial.

Trial

Abdullah Shah was first convicted in special court proceedings in October 2002. Nine people testified against him at the trial, including another wife he tried to set on fire. The court heard that he murdered his baby daughter by banging her repeatedly against a wall, and that he killed one wife by pouring boiling water over her body. Another wife testified against him that he had tried to burn her to death after dousing her with petrol.

Sentencing

Interim president Hamid Karzai signed the death warrant. President Karzai signed the death warrant reluctantly. Karzai had ordered a review of the case when the guilty verdict had first been delivered, but justice demanded the verdict "be delayed no further", his spokesman, Jawed Ludin, said. The second judge came under pressure from the Supreme Court to impose the sentence.

Appeals

The material did not describe an appeals outcome.

Outcome

Abdullah Shah was executed at Pul-e-Charkhi jail. At the execution, Shah was shot in the back of the head. Witnesses present included representatives of the Afghan police and the Attorney General's office, and doctors.

Aftermath

Amnesty International protested against the execution, claiming Afghanistan avoided basic standards of fairness. Amnesty International said Abdullah Shah was probably silenced so he could not testify against commanders allied to the government. Amnesty International added that Abdullah Shah was not provided a defense attorney, the trial was secret, a confession was obtained under torture, and that the first judge in his case was dismissed for taking a bribe. The BBC's Andrew North in Kabul said that the fact that the government confirmed an execution which took place on 20 April showed how sensitive it was to criticism about the case.

"The president felt compelled by the need to ensure justice to the victims, especially in view of the nature of the crimes he [Abdullah Shah] committed." — Jawed Ludin, spokesman for President Karzai

"be delayed no further" — Jawed Ludin, explaining that justice demanded the verdict be delayed no further