People detained in Afghanistan continue to face torture and other
ill-treatment, in particular by the country's intelligence service, the
National Directorate of Security (NDS). Yet, despite consistent reports of
torture and other ill-treatment, including from the UN and Amnesty
International,, members of the NATO-led International Security Assistance
Force (ISAF) - particularly those from Belgium, the UK, Canada, the
Netherlands and Norway - have continued to hand detainees over to the NDS.
The abuses are taking place in the context of the ongoing conflict involving
the Afghan government, international military forces, the Taleban and other
armed groups. Over the past two years, Amnesty International has received
repeated reports of torture and other ill-treatment at the hands of the NDS,
including detainees being whipped, exposed to extreme cold and deprived of
food. Many of them have been arrested arbitrarily and detained
incommunicado, without access to lawyers and families.
By transferring individuals to locations where they are at grave risk of
torture and other ill-treatment, ISAF states may be complicit in this
treatment, and are breaching their international legal obligations.
The report Detainees transferred to torture: ISAF complicity? highlights
cases including allegations of torture by Afghan authorities of transferred
detainees; incidents where ISAF states have lost track of transferred
detainees; the difficulties in independently monitoring detainees in Afghan
custody and the practice of on-the-spot transfers without documentation.
Amnesty International is urging all ISAF states to suspend all transfers of
detainees and hold them in their custody until effective safeguards are in
place. Meanwhile, ISAF countries should promote the reform of the Afghan
detention system, including by facilitating training of detention officials.
The Afghan government must ensure the end of all practices of torture, other
ill-treatment and arbitrary detention in the country.
Article:
http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/reports/detainees-transferred-to-torture-isaf-complicity-20071113
ill-treatment, in particular by the country's intelligence service, the
National Directorate of Security (NDS). Yet, despite consistent reports of
torture and other ill-treatment, including from the UN and Amnesty
International,, members of the NATO-led International Security Assistance
Force (ISAF) - particularly those from Belgium, the UK, Canada, the
Netherlands and Norway - have continued to hand detainees over to the NDS.
The abuses are taking place in the context of the ongoing conflict involving
the Afghan government, international military forces, the Taleban and other
armed groups. Over the past two years, Amnesty International has received
repeated reports of torture and other ill-treatment at the hands of the NDS,
including detainees being whipped, exposed to extreme cold and deprived of
food. Many of them have been arrested arbitrarily and detained
incommunicado, without access to lawyers and families.
By transferring individuals to locations where they are at grave risk of
torture and other ill-treatment, ISAF states may be complicit in this
treatment, and are breaching their international legal obligations.
The report Detainees transferred to torture: ISAF complicity? highlights
cases including allegations of torture by Afghan authorities of transferred
detainees; incidents where ISAF states have lost track of transferred
detainees; the difficulties in independently monitoring detainees in Afghan
custody and the practice of on-the-spot transfers without documentation.
Amnesty International is urging all ISAF states to suspend all transfers of
detainees and hold them in their custody until effective safeguards are in
place. Meanwhile, ISAF countries should promote the reform of the Afghan
detention system, including by facilitating training of detention officials.
The Afghan government must ensure the end of all practices of torture, other
ill-treatment and arbitrary detention in the country.
Article:
http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/reports/detainees-transferred-to-torture-isaf-complicity-20071113
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