Mohammad Alam Alam Izedyar, the deputy speaker of Afghanistan’s Senate, and the families of victims at two attacks in 2017, today accused the government of politically meddling with the investigation of the two incidents, and of "suppressing" the court cases of suspects. Izedyar accused the government of trying to "acquit" the accused. 

The Rastakhez Taghir (Resurrection of Change) movement organized a protest in 2017, two days after a truck bombing in Zanbaq Square near the German embassy in Kabul-- the most secure and heavily-guarded area in Kabul--left scores of people dead and wounded.

During a protest that followed at Zanbaq square in downtown Kabul near the Presidential Palace, six people, including Izedyar’s son, were killed.

At a funeral ceremony for Izedyar's son, three explosions and at least 20 people were killed. Senior political leaders including Abdullah attended the event. 

The attendants of the ceremony on Monday said the government has kept the Attorney General’s Office under pressure to stop the probe of the incident and has even tried to acquit the main perpetrators.

“The Ministry of Interior Affairs and the National Directorate of Security did not cooperate with the probe team,” Izedyar said. “And they did not provide them access to evidence, and, on the contrary, they tried to provide the grounds for acquitting the "murderers and the perpetrators.”

According to Izedyar, the Attorney General’s Office recognized 17 people as suspects in the attack on the protest and a bombing of a funeral – in which Dr. Abdullah Abdullah was in attendance – but the case has not proceeded so far.

“The case that includes 18 people, including 10 army and police generals and officers, was sent to the court despite the shortcomings,” Izedyar added. 

“Why did the government opened fire on the people? The government had 14 people in this roundabout. We have made this effort to know that why a truck bomb detonates near the President’s office and the security forces are remaining unmoved,” said Padshah Bina, a member of the protest.

“Efforts for ensuring justice in this matter have been suppressed,” said Amina Afzali, former minister of refugees and repatriation.

“They proved they are not defending the rights of those who have been suppressed but those who have suppressed,” said Musa Wakil, a former member of Kabul's provincial council and a member of the movement.

According to the Attorney General’s Office, the case of the attack on the protestors has been sent to the court.

“The Attorney General’s Office has assessed the case transparently and the case has been sent to the relevant court for a decision after the completion of the investigation, and now it is being investigated by the country’s courts,” said Jamshid Rasuli, spokesman for the Attorney General.

“I don’t have direct responsibility in government affairs, but as a citizen of this country, I feel myself responsible to rule of law and justice,” said Abdullah Abdullah, head of the High Council for National Reconciliation, who attended the event today.

This comes as the government removed former Kabul Garrison commander Gul Nabi Ahmadzai and former Kabul police chief Hassan Shah Frogh from their duties following the attack.