Essays and writings

His origins and education.سمیع_الدین ژوند لنډ ژوندلیک

Early life

Samiuddin Safi Zhouand demonstrated an exceptional dedication to learning from a young age. He completed his primary and secondary education up to the eleventh grade at Roshan High School in Laghman Province. It needs to be mentioned that most of Samiuddin’s early schooling was in Pashto and there is now an active movement to ensure the language is retained, especially in regions of Pakistan.

At the time, the official government language in Afghanistan or the language was Dari, a slightly different dialogue to Farsi. To further enhance his language, Samiuddin completed his final year of study in Herat, a city known for its arts, culture and close proximity to Iran. This allowed him to enter university a year earlier than his peers.

At university, he developed a particular interest in Afghanistan’s political history. He initially enrolled in the Medical Faculty at Kabul University, but guided by the encouragement of his family and peers, he transitioned to the Faculty of Law. His brilliance shone through, and he graduated at the very top of his class, earning his BA/LLB.

Distinguished Achievements and Public Service

Throughout his remarkable career, Samiuddin Safi Zhouand distinguished himself as a towering figure in both Afghan jurisprudence and international legal circles. His lifelong commitments span high-level government leadership, international diplomacy, and human rights scholarship:

• Architect of Modern Afghan Legislation: As a leading legal drafter, he was a vital part of the trained generation of jurists who built the modern Afghan State’s legal framework following the 1964 Constitution. He played a primary role in drafting and compiling Afghanistan’s first Penal and Civil Codes.
• Deputy Minister of Justice: He held this senior office within the Ministry of Justice during the Republic of Mohammad Daoud Khan, guiding the nation’s legal direction.
• Member of the Supreme Judicial Council: He is officially named in Afghan Ministry of Justice records as a member of the General Assembly of the Supreme Judicial Council.
• Deputy / Acting Attorney-General: Recorded in contemporary accounts of Afghanistan’s justice organs as a founding figure of the Attorney General’s office, serving as Deputy Attorney General during the premiership of Noor Ahmad Etemadi.
• Consultant on Afghan Narcotics Law: Referenced in United States diplomatic records for his high-level consultations concerning Afghanistan’s legal framework for narcotics enforcement and prosecution.

Global Engagement and Scholarship

Contributor to International Human Rights Scholarship: Authored a comprehensive 25-page historical section, “An historical background,” published as Appendix 7 (pages 181–206) in Patricia Hyndman’s renowned LAWASIA report, The communal violence in Sri Lanka, July 1983.

Fulbright Scholar: Recognised as a distinguished foreign Fulbright-Hays alumnus, honoring his advanced academic and professional exchange.

Eisenhower Exchange Fellow: Recipient of this prestigious fellowship, reflecting his international standing and public leadership.

Postgraduate Studies: Earned his Master of Public Administration (MPA) at the University of California, Los Angeles, following his selection for higher education in the United States.

International Legal Study (1975): Traveled to the United States to engage with the Academy of American and International Law in Dallas, and was recorded in U.S. diplomatic cables for proposed legal consultations at the George Washington University School of Law.

Constitution of Afghanistan

The 1964 Constitution of Afghanistan was commissioned by King Mohammad Zahir Shah. To write the document, he appointed a specialised seven-member drafting committee. This original drafting committee consisted of Afghan legal experts, scholars, and government officials:

• Sayyid Shamsuddin Majrooh (then-Minister of Justice)
• Mohammad Mossa Shafiq (an Egyptian- and American-educated lawyer who later became Prime Minister)
• Said Qassim Rishtya
• Mir Najmuddin Ansari
• Abdul Samad Hamed
• Mir Mohammad Siddiq Farhang
• Hamidullah (a professor of law at Kabul University, and the only member not directly associated with a government ministry at the time)

The Approval Process: Once this core committee finished the initial draft, the document wasn’t immediately signed into law. It was passed to a larger Constitutional Advisory Commission for review, and then presented to a Loya Jirga (a grand council of notables and tribal leaders) in September 1964. The Loya Jirga debated, modified, and ultimately approved the constitution, which introduced a constitutional monarchy, a bicameral parliament, and explicit rights for women and all citizens, including minorities and non Muslims.

Working under the leadership of some of Afghanistan’s greatest legal minds, Samiuddin Safi Zhouand dedicated his expertise to serving his nation during the foundational era of the 1964 Constitution. He continued to honor his contribution to this historic document and the democratic ideals it represented to the very end of his life, carefully preserving an original copy within his treasured personal files as an enduring symbol of his commitment to the rule of law.

Public Service and Legal Architecture

As a leading legal drafter, Samiuddin Safi Zhouand played a primary role in drafting and compiling Afghanistan’s first Penal Code and Civil Code. He served as Deputy Minister of Justice within the Republic of Mohammad Daoud Khan and was officially recorded as a member of the General Assembly of the Supreme Judicial Council. He was also a founding figure of the Attorney-General’s Office, serving as Deputy Attorney-General during the premiership of Noor Ahmad Etemadi.

In the following original manuscript Samiuddin Safi Zhouand outline the regulation of duties and procedures of the Afghan Attorney-General’s Office, he detailed the foundational oversight responsibilities of the institution. The document emphasises the office’s primary role in ensuring the equal and fair application of laws across state organs and private enterprises. It advocates for progressive justice reform, specifically the monitoring of legality within prisons and promoting the transformation of prisons into centres of education and reform rather than places of vengeance.

Essay – International War Trade & Occupation of War – Essay

Analysis and Criticism from the Perspective of Political Economy and International Regulations – by Samiuddin Safi Zhouand

International Diplomacy and Scholarship

Samiuddin Safi Zhouand international engagements included recognition as a Fulbright Scholar, participating in the Board of Foreign Scholarships Bicentennial Project in 1976. A 1972 declassified United States State Department memorandum captures his diplomatic insights during a critical Afghan parliamentary crisis whilst he served as Deputy Minister of Justice.

Document References: Historical Documents – Office of the Historian.pdf, Gerald Ford Institure.pdf, HAI-Goonetileke-1984-bibliography…

Board of Foreign Scholarships Bicentennial Project in 1976

A three-day convocation at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., held in May 1976. It served as the focal point of a Bicentennial project marking the thirtieth anniversary of the Fulbright-Hays program, sponsored by the Board of Foreign Scholarships. The objective of this convocation was to involve distinguished international scholars and leaders in a critical review of world issues, the crises to be faced, and the necessity for developing links for human understanding. Samiuddin Zhouandwas selected as a BFS Bicentennial Scholar participating in the project and a guest speaker.

The original documents are located in Box 67, folder “Federal Agency Bicentennial Task Force – Meeting Agendas (3)” of the John Marsh Files at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library. Copyright Notice The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Gerald R. Ford donated to the United States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections. Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public domain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to remain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid copyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.

Diplomacy papers

A declassified 1972 United States State Department memorandum documenting Samiuddin Safi Zhouand’s tenure as Deputy Minister of Justice and his candid diplomatic engagements during a pivotal constitutional crisis in Afghanistan.

Personal Letter – to His Holiness Pope John Paul II

Throughout his life, Samiuddin Safi Zhouand remained deeply engaged with all the major political and social issues. Writing served as a powerful tool for advocacy but also as a personal means to cope with the ongoing tragedies of his former homeland and self. He frequently reached out to eminent global and spiritual leaders, seeking guidance, prayers, and moral intervention during times of profound crisis.

Sample of a letter to His Holiness Pope John Paul II (1995) A personal letter penned by Samiuddin Safi Zhouand in 1995 to His Holiness Pope John Paul II. Writing from Australia, he reflects on the shared defeat of the Soviet Union, mourns the loss of over a million Afghan lives, and voices his despair over the devastating civil war that followed.

Samiuddin Safi Zhouand was an avid writer, he wrote on anything that couldn’t escape the ink, never discriminated between a tissue and or white spots in junk mail, whatever spare he found, he wrote. I wish I had kept more of his precious words..

Samiuddin Safi Zhouand engaged with the judicial political leaders all the time about matters that felt important to him. This is a draft found in his files, more to follow. Those that responded remained friends for life.