Michael McKinley, United States (U.S) ambassador to Afghanistan, on Saturday said allegations lodged by Ahmad Eschi, against First Vice President General Abdul Rashid Dostum should be investigated transparently.

McKinley said he was shocked to hear of the allegations by Eshchi that Dostum had allegedly ordered his men to beat him up and sexually assault him. Eshchi is the former Jawzjan governor.

“Investigations and transparency is important to send the right signal to the Afghan people that no one is above the law,” he added.

Parliament also insisted that Eshchi’s claims of being beaten, jailed and sexually assaulted should be probed.

“We want the justice centers to probe the issue and make a decision based on the law. Government has an obligation to investigate it,” said Abdul Raouf Ibrahimi, speaker of the Wolesi Jirga. 

In the constitution nothing is mentioned on what steps to take in terms of prosecuting presidential deputies who have committed a crime. However, in article 60 and 67, it states that when a president resigns, has died, or has a serious disease that prevents him from doing his job, the first vice president has an obligation to take over his duties.

In the constitution it also specifies that when a president is accused of inhumane crimes or treason, then one-third of parliament can call for the president to be summoned. If two-thirds of MPs approve the suggestion, then it will hold a Loya Jirga within a month. If two-thirds of the Jirga members then vote that the president is guilty, he will be removed from office and the case will be referred to a special court.

The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) has however already appointed a team to investigate the Dostum-Eshchi issue.