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23/08/2004
UN slams 'inhuman' conditions of Afghan jail
Prisoners are being abused in Afghan jails and conditions for some inmates "violate every standard of human rights", according to the UN.
The UN Independent Expert on Afghanistan denounced the "inhuman" practices at Pul-e-Charkhi prison and demanded answers from the US on prisoner releases.
Professor Cherif Bassiouni visited the prison to probe the wellbeing of a group of 725 out of some 3,200 persons originally detained by the Northern alliance – “and apparently some US forces were involved” – who then were transferred to the jail under the authority of the government. Around 350 of the detainees are of Pakistani origin.
The detention of the group, Mr Bassiouni said, is illegal because the suspects were arrested as combatants and are therefore prisoners of war.
“Every government official I have discussed this matter with has agreed that there's no legal basis for their detention, and everyone has said that they should be released,” he said.
“There are allegations that the US authorities ask that they continue to be kept in detention. I have protested this situation with the appropriate government officials and I will continue to do so,” the professor added.
The UN official also raised the issue of US forces holding between 300 and 400 detainees in Kandahar and Bagram – saying that a lack of transparency from the authorities had raised "serious concerns" about the legality of detention as well as the condition of those detentions.
Mr Bassiouni also said women tried and sentenced by tribal councils for “social and alleged moral violations but not legal violations", amounted to "modern slavery".
(gmcg)
The UN Independent Expert on Afghanistan denounced the "inhuman" practices at Pul-e-Charkhi prison and demanded answers from the US on prisoner releases.
Professor Cherif Bassiouni visited the prison to probe the wellbeing of a group of 725 out of some 3,200 persons originally detained by the Northern alliance – “and apparently some US forces were involved” – who then were transferred to the jail under the authority of the government. Around 350 of the detainees are of Pakistani origin.
The detention of the group, Mr Bassiouni said, is illegal because the suspects were arrested as combatants and are therefore prisoners of war.
“Every government official I have discussed this matter with has agreed that there's no legal basis for their detention, and everyone has said that they should be released,” he said.
“There are allegations that the US authorities ask that they continue to be kept in detention. I have protested this situation with the appropriate government officials and I will continue to do so,” the professor added.
The UN official also raised the issue of US forces holding between 300 and 400 detainees in Kandahar and Bagram – saying that a lack of transparency from the authorities had raised "serious concerns" about the legality of detention as well as the condition of those detentions.
Mr Bassiouni also said women tried and sentenced by tribal councils for “social and alleged moral violations but not legal violations", amounted to "modern slavery".
(gmcg)
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