Assadullah Sarwari
Encyclopedia
Assadullah Sarwari is an Afghan politician, who belongd to the Khalq
faction of the communist People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan
.
Educated in the Soviet Union
, he served as an air force pilot under the monarchy of Mohammed Zahir Shah
, and later as the air force garrison commander under President Mohammed Daoud Khan
in 1973.
When the Communist government took over he was appointed head of the Afghan intelligence service in 1978.
In September 1979 Sarwari was involved in plot to oust prime minister Hafizullah Amin
. After failure of plot, he escaped to Soviet Embassy, where he was given asylum until Soviet invasion and fall of Amin in December 1979.
After invasion, under government of Babrak Karmal
, Sarwari was first given task of deputy prime minister, but he was soon removed from government and posted as ambassador to Mongolia.
In 1992, after the collapse of the Communist regime, Sarwari was arrested and remained in prison for more than 13 years.
On December 25, 2005, he was charged with the involvement in the arbitrary arrest, torture and mass killing of hundreds of opponents during his tenure as head of Afghan intelligence for a period of one year. On February 25, 2006, he was sentenced to die by firing squad for ordering the killing of over 400 people; he was cleared of charges involving conspiracy against the post-Communist government. His is the first trial involving war crime
s in Afghanistan.
Reuters
reports that he received a death sentence in January 2006.
Khalq
Khalq was a faction of the People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan. Its historical leaders were Presidents Nur Muhammad Taraki and Hafizullah Amin. It was also the name of the leftist newspaper produced by the same movement. It was supported by the USSR and was formed in 1965 when the PDPA was born...
faction of the communist People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan
People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan
The People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan was a communist party established on the 1 January 1965. While a minority, the party helped former president of Afghanistan, Mohammed Daoud Khan, to overthrow his cousin, Mohammed Zahir Shah, and established Daoud's Republic of Afghanistan...
.
Educated in the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, he served as an air force pilot under the monarchy of Mohammed Zahir Shah
Mohammed Zahir Shah
Mohammed Zahir Shah was the last King of Afghanistan, reigning for four decades, from 1933 until he was ousted by a coup in 1973...
, and later as the air force garrison commander under President Mohammed Daoud Khan
Mohammed Daoud Khan
Sardar Mohammed Daoud Khan or Daud Khan was Prime Minister of Afghanistan from 1953 to 1963 and later becoming the President of Afghanistan...
in 1973.
When the Communist government took over he was appointed head of the Afghan intelligence service in 1978.
In September 1979 Sarwari was involved in plot to oust prime minister Hafizullah Amin
Hafizullah Amin
Hafizullah Amin was the second President of Afghanistan during the period of the communist Democratic Republic of Afghanistan....
. After failure of plot, he escaped to Soviet Embassy, where he was given asylum until Soviet invasion and fall of Amin in December 1979.
After invasion, under government of Babrak Karmal
Babrak Karmal
Babrak Karmal was the third President of Afghanistan during the period of the communist Democratic Republic of Afghanistan. He is the best known of the Marxist leadership....
, Sarwari was first given task of deputy prime minister, but he was soon removed from government and posted as ambassador to Mongolia.
In 1992, after the collapse of the Communist regime, Sarwari was arrested and remained in prison for more than 13 years.
On December 25, 2005, he was charged with the involvement in the arbitrary arrest, torture and mass killing of hundreds of opponents during his tenure as head of Afghan intelligence for a period of one year. On February 25, 2006, he was sentenced to die by firing squad for ordering the killing of over 400 people; he was cleared of charges involving conspiracy against the post-Communist government. His is the first trial involving war crime
War crime
War crimes are serious violations of the laws applicable in armed conflict giving rise to individual criminal responsibility...
s in Afghanistan.
Reuters
Reuters
Reuters is a news agency headquartered in New York City. Until 2008 the Reuters news agency formed part of a British independent company, Reuters Group plc, which was also a provider of financial market data...
reports that he received a death sentence in January 2006.
External links
- Assadullah Sarwari at Trial Watch.