Afghan Attorney General's Office

The Afghan Attorney General's Office functions as the state’s principal authority for prosecuting criminal offenses. It receives complaints and evidence, decides whether to file charges, and directs investigations conducted by police and other investigative bodies. The office supervises those investigations to guarantee that procedural safeguards and legal standards are observed. When a case proceeds to trial, prosecutors from the office represent the government in court, presenting arguments and seeking convictions. Beyond litigation, the office furnishes legal opinions to ministries and agencies on draft legislation, regulatory measures, and matters of criminal procedure.

Situated within the executive branch, the Attorney General is appointed by the President of Afghanistan and serves as the chief legal adviser to the government. The office carries out its duties across the national territory, addressing legal matters that arise in various regions. Its caseload encompasses everything from petty theft and assault to complex crimes such as corruption, narcotics production, human trafficking, and terrorism. By issuing guidelines and conducting oversight, the office strives to apply uniform prosecutorial standards throughout its territorial reach. It also engages in mutual legal assistance treaties and collaborates with foreign jurisdictions on extradition, evidence sharing, and transnational investigations.

The Attorney General's Office is distinguished by its exclusive focus on criminal justice and its role as a gatekeeper whose decisions affect public safety and state interests. In September 2016, the office’s website was defaced by the hacktivist group Ghost Squad Hackers, an incident that exposed vulnerabilities in the digital assets of Afghan government institutions. This cyber attack prompted the office to reassess its information‑technology security while continuing to fulfill its core prosecutorial mandate. The office is tasked with ensuring that prosecutions respect constitutional guarantees, including due process and human‑rights protections, even as it pursues accountability for serious offenses. Through these functions, the Attorney General's Office contributes to the broader objective of upholding the rule of law and strengthening the justice system in Afghanistan.