A/HRC/12/50 human rights institutions and other governments in the region, to put an end to this phenomenon. It also emphasized the importance of the dissemination of human rights principles throughout Afghanistan in schools and women’s associations and through relevant programmes. 387. Amnesty International welcomed Afghanistan’s support for strengthening the capacity to implement the national development strategy. It urged the Government to safeguard the independence and work of the independent human rights commission, and implement fully the 2005 plan of action for peace, justice and reconciliation. It expressed concern that the passing of the amnesty law had undermined the plan of action, and called on the Government to conduct independent and judicial investigations into all credible allegations of serious human rights abuses, establish a truth-seeking mechanism to document past human rights abuses, repeal the amnesty law, and bar those suspected of war crimes, crimes against humanity or serious human rights abuses from holding government posts. Amnesty International noted that Afghan women and girls continued to encounter discriminatory laws, policies and practices and to face endemic domestic violence, trafficking, forced marriages and their use as currency in the settlement of disputes. It also stated that women victims and defendants were discriminated against in both the formal and informal justice systems. Amnesty International called for prompt, impartial and effective investigation of all reports of violence against women, that the Government ensure that those responsible were brought to justice and the victims granted reparations and that women be granted unqualified equality with men in law and in practice. 388. International Pen expressed satisfaction that the Government of Afghanistan would develop strategies to protect freedom of expression through legislation and adoption of new policies for the support for and protection and monitoring of human rights. It expressed concern about the recent decline in press freedom, particularly the growing violence against journalists. International Pen was also concerned about the existence of “blasphemy” laws, under which a number of writers and publishers had been charged and imprisoned and sentenced to death, and indicated that it would continue to call for the release of those imprisoned under such legislation. 389. Human Rights Watch underlined the need for the Government to make girls’ education a priority, strengthen measures to prevent violence against women, promote awareness-raising on issues such as child marriage, and avoid entrenching in the law discriminatory practices against women, such as the Shia personal status law, which in its amended form allegedly included many egregious articles. It noted that the Government had committed itself to a wide range of measures under the 2005 plan of action on peace, justice and reconciliation, many of which did not require judicial action, such as according dignity to victims and vetting human rights abusers from positions of power. Human Rights Watch stated that the rule of law needed significant attention, including strengthening respect for human rights by the police and justice sectors, and building the institutional capacity of the Ministries of the Interior and Justice, while expressing the view that a comprehensive reform of these areas would involve greater transparency, accountability and oversight of the appointments process. It reported that the recent elections had been deeply flawed, including the low female turnout and widespread use of women’s polling stations and voter registration cards for fraudulent purposes. It expressed regret about the rejection by Afghanistan of the recommendation that called for a moratorium on the use of the death penalty, noting that legal experts and human rights organizations had long expressed concern that international due process and fair trial standards were generally not met in such cases. 390. The Charitable Institute for Protecting Social Victims, while commending the actions taken by the Government of Afghanistan, called for more extensive participation of women in the administrative and judicial system, the promotion of access of women to 121