New Hampshire and Vermont Supreme Courts Welcome Two Distinguished Afghan Women Judges Resettled in the US

Hanover, NH – The Supreme Courts of New Hampshire and Vermont yesterday welcomed to their two states two distinguished women judges from Afghanistan, Judge Anisa Rasooli and Judge Geeti Roeen, who were both resettled here after evacuating from their home country with their families. New Hampshire Supreme Court Chief Justice Gordon J. MacDonald and Vermont Supreme Court Chief Justice Paul L.  Reiber formally welcomed Judges Roeen and Rasooli at a ceremony that took place before more than 400 students at Hanover High School. 

New Hampshire U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen and Vermont U.S. Representative Rebecca Balint, who, along with their staffs, provided vital assistance in facilitating the resettlement of the judges, participated in the ceremony.  In attendance were members of the New Hampshire and Vermont Supreme Courts, as well as state and federal judges from both states and elected officials.  Click here to see video from the ceremony.

In welcoming Judge Roeen, Chief Justice MacDonald said, “Your honor, Judge Roeen, we are deeply inspired by your commitment to education and training, your efforts in seeking justice for all, and particularly women and children survivors of abuse and violence. Your extraordinary courage and perseverance and that of your family in the face of threats and violence and so many challenges in the last two years, and your devotion to upholding the rule of law. On behalf of the Supreme Courts of New Hampshire and Vermont, federal judges and lawyers in both of our states, it is a great honor to welcome you and your family to our community. We look forward to learning from you, and from your family. And may your example guide us and inspire us in all of our collective efforts to seek justice and uphold the rule of law.”

“Despite the challenges in Afghanistan, today is a celebration of Justice Rasooli and Judge Roeen. We are so excited to have them in Vermont and New Hampshire,” said New Hampshire US Senator Jeanne Shaheen. “The life stories of Judge Rasooli and Judge Roeen include courage, perseverance and resilience and they are an inspiration to us all. Access to education is fundamental to ensuring that all children have opportunities to thrive and that all communities can harness the potential of their citizens. Countries and societies that empower women tend to be more stable – they experience less conflict and women are actively contributing more to their families, their communities and their countries. This is a significant piece of what we should be thinking about as we look at our future foreign policy. This is the vision that Judge Rasooli and Judge Roeen and countless other Afghan women brought to their responsibilities in Afghanistan.”

Judge Rasooli was a senior member of the Afghan judiciary.  Most recently, she served as an advisor to the Supreme Court of Afghanistan on the treatment of nonviolent offenders.  She was appointed to the Afghan Supreme Court—the first and only woman to be a nominee to Afghanistan’s highest court—but Kabul fell before the National Assembly could act on her nomination.  Judge Rasooli previously led the anti-corruption division of the Kabul Appellate Court, presided over the Court for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, and served as president of the Kabul Juvenile Court and Juvenile Appellate Court. 

Judge Roeen first became a judge in 2009 with a general jurisdiction of civil and criminal cases.She was promoted to the appellate level in 2017, where she heard cases involving domestic violence, forced marriage, sexual assault, kidnapping, drug smuggling, and child sexual abuse.

Both judges were forced to flee Afghanistan with their families under the threat of death after the Taliban retook control of the country in August of 2021. Working to help both judges resettle in the United States as refugees and help evacuate scores of other women judges from Afghanistan was the IAWJ, the International Association of Women Judges. An active member of the organization is Retired Vermont Judge Patricia Whalen, who had organized many legal educational training seminars in Vermont for women judges from Afghanistan in the 20 years between Taliban rule in Afghanistan.

Through these trainings, Judge Whalen got to know both Judge Rasooli as well as Judge Roeen. When it was clear that both women judges and their families were in danger following the Taliban retaking control of Afghanistan, Judge Whalen worked with colleagues in the IAWJ, such as New Hampshire Circuit Court Judge Ellen Christo, the US State Department, other nonprofit organizations, as and the offices of Senator Jeanne Shaheen and former  U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy (Vermont) who provided critical assistance in evacuating both Judge Rasooli and Judge Roeen and resettle them in New Hampshire and Vermont. New Hampshire  Supreme Court Justice Anna Barbara Hantz-Marconi was also a key member of that state’s resettlement team for Judge Roeen.

Judge Rasooli and her family were evacuated with the assistance of Polish special forces, and lived for nearly two years in Poland as their resettlement was processed by federal authorities. In 2023 Rasooli and her family were resettled to Vermont. Judge Roeen and her family were evacuated to a refugee camp in the United Arab Emirates, where they lived for nearly two years before being resettled to Manchester, New Hampshire.

Speaking through an interpreter, Judge Roeen said, “I am overwhelmed to see this welcoming and see everyone here supporting us, it has brought tears of hope and happiness into my eyes. I come from a country where work and education is banned for women, and in general being a woman is a sin and illegal. We tried our best to stand shoulder to shoulder with the male companions of our country and stand for the rights and freedom for Afghan women. But unfortunately, we lost everything - all 20 years of achievements - everything was taken away from us overnight. Since arriving in the US in November, we have been greeted with such warmth and respect, and I feel that humanity is still alive, and there are so many here fighting for women’s rights and human rights.” 

Judges Rasooli and Roeen will serve as visiting scholars at Dartmouth College.

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