From 16 to 20 December 1982, the Permanent Peoples’ Tribunal held a second session on Afghanistan in Paris to conclude its investigation into violations of international humanitarian law during the conflict. This investigation was based on the work of the Special Commission established at the previous session in Stockholm.
Based on evidence gathered regarding methods and means of warfare, treatment of the wounded and prisoners, use of torture, and attacks on the civilian population, the Tribunal found serious violations of the applicable rules of humanitarian law in armed conflicts.
In its Judgement, the Tribunal held the Soviet Union responsible for war crimes and reaffirmed the right of the Afghan people to self-determination. The Tribunal also emphasised that contemporary local conflicts increasingly constitute a systematic denial of peoples’ right to freely determine their own political and historical destiny.
Documentation:
The Judgment is available in Italian