The Escape from Kabul

‘That these women went through so much to achieve what they did makes it all the more terrible the way they were betrayed by the people they saw as allies… In the end, it was the humanity of fellow female judges who saved them, where governments failed’ The Sunday Times

‘A cautionary tale of the toll that displacement and denial continue to take on progress in countries like Afghanistan’ Ms Magazine

‘Anyone concerned about the fragility of rights or the isolation of those living under repression should read this book’ Martha Minow, author of When Should Law Forgive?

‘A remarkable book. In it, Karen Bartlett masterfully depicts the Afghan women judges who faced challenges Western judges could only imagine, culminating in their perilous flight from Afghanistan. Brave, bold, and touching, this is an extraordinary story everyone should read’ The Honorable Nancy Gertner, United States District Judge, US District Court for the District of Massachusetts (Ret.)

‘Karen Bartlett’s reportage of the escape of Afghan women judges and their families in the chaotic final days before the resurgence of Taliban domination is harrowing. The heroic assistance of women judges from the United States, Europe and the UK that made those escapes possible reveals the unwavering support of women judges from around the world… a story not to be missed’ The Honorable Shira A. Scheindlin, United States District Judge, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York (Ret.)

Karen Bartlett was a speechwriter for President Nelson Mandela and has written for publications including The Times, Wired and Newsweek about women’s rights and empowerment around the world. She is the author of five works of non-fiction, including The Health of Nations and the Sunday Times bestseller After Auschwitz. She lives in London.