Motley’s Law

Kimberley Motley is the only foreigner and the only woman allowed to work as a lawyer in Afghanistan. She came for the money, but fights relentlessly against corruption and injustice. As the peacekeeping troops are sent home, the situation becomes more dangerous. The question arises whether she should stay.

When Afghanistan adopted its first democratic constitution in 2004, a formal legal system was combined with the informal sharia law. Kimberley Motley is the only foreigner and the only woman authorized to take legal action within this system. She defends a wide range of clients, from a British soldier who has been imprisoned for two years for fraud without a fair trial to an Afghan girl who risks punishment for fleeing her husband.

The rampant corruption and lack of respect for human rights have made Motley combative. What’s more, she has become a role model. In addition to her work, she gets phone interviews and glamorous photo shoots. Motley is honest about her original motives. ‘I came here for the money, like everyone else here. I didn’t even know where Afghanistan was.’ She grew up in poverty and is determined to secure her children’s financial future.

Motley is fearless: just days after someone throws a grenade into her home, she returns – her security guards are more afraid than she is. But when the peacekeeping troops are sent home, the situation becomes more dangerous. Should Motley stay put?