Dangerous Work
by Nathaniel Miller
You wouldn’t know it at first glance, but the Hon. Samea Hassas has helped sentence some of the most violent criminals in Afghanistan.
As one of the hundreds of female judges who sentenced members of the Taliban in the two decades after they were removed from power, Hassas would regularly receive threats from those imprisoned and their families simply for being a woman enforcing the law.
When the Taliban returned to power in 2021, Hassas and her family fled Kabul and took refuge in South Korea before finding a new home in San Antonio and with the St. Mary’s University School of Law.
“I really love the University, and when I’m there, the people make me feel very good,” Hassas said.
Escape from Afghanistan
When the Taliban first took control in 1996, Hassas was a law student at Kabal University with a year left in her law studies. She was forced to stop due to the group’s refusal to allow women to get an education.
Unable to attend classes, she continued learning other subjects through an underground network in her spare time. It wasn’t until 2001, when the U.S.-led coalition expelled the Taliban, that she was able to return to the university, picking up where she left off.
After graduating and working with the court system, Hassas was appointed to a judgeship where she oversaw criminal cases, including those of former Taliban members.
“I knew about the dangers and challenges, knowing I could be killed,” she said. “They would ask me, ‘How can a woman judge me?’ because of their stance against women.”
After the withdrawal of American troops from the country in 2021 and as the Taliban began to retake control of the country, many of those prisoners were released, looking for retribution.
Using local connections to help them get past security checkpoints, Hassas, her husband Ramish Noori, and their three children left their home, possessions and family behind to seek asylum in another country. It took them three weeks before finally securing a flight out of the country with the help of South Korean officials.
The couple was soon put into contact with St. Mary’s University School of Law Dean Patricia Roberts, J.D. However, a months-long vetting process stymied their travel to the United States.
“When we arrived in Korea, we had to stay in a camp for five months,” said Noori, who was president of Edrak Institute of Higher Learning in Kabul when they fled. “We received some contacts from the International Association of Women Judges in Washington, D.C., who introduced us to Patricia Roberts.”
Sharing her story
Now, as a Visiting Scholar at the School of Law, Hassas gives guest lectures and presentations, sharing her experiences with students and the public. The program also allows Visiting Scholars to conduct research and build connections in the local and state legal communities.
The family has been settling into life in San Antonio. Hassas said their three children speak Persian, Korean and English and have enjoyed attending school.
“I knew about the dangers and challenges, knowing I could be killed. They would ask me, ‘How can a woman judge me?’ because of their stance against women.” — The Hon. Samea Hassas
Hassas has also been working with Associate Director of the Intensive English Program Catherine Whitlow to improve her English. Whitlow said Hassas is an inspiration who continues to find new ways to move forward.
“Samea has faced unbelievable, life-threatening challenges over the last few years, but she has not surrendered to sorrow,” Whitlow said. “Instead, she has become a beacon of justice and hope for those privileged to know her.”
The couple has continued with the asylum process, noting they cannot return home because they are deemed enemies of the state by the Taliban. They hope to keep building their new life in San Antonio.
“The children enjoy spending time with their classmates and teachers, and the people in the city have been so kind,” Hassas said. “The University staff members and leadership are so kind, and we love being with them and working with them.”
