Allegations against Dostum be investigated: EU

KABUL (Pajhwok): The European Union (EU) and a number of other countries have asked for a formal investigation into allegations of human rights violations and misusing of authority in kidnapping a tribal elder against 1^st Vice-President Gen. Abdur Rashid Dostum.

Ahmad Eshchi, a former member of Junbish-i-Milli Afghanistan party and a tribal elder from northwestern Jawzjan province, was rescued by intelligence agents on December 10 after 16 days of captivity.

Earlier, Eshchi’s sons had claimed Gen. Dostum had a verbal clash with their father at the buzkashi ground in Shiberghan, the provincial capital. Later on, Dostum’s bodyguards allegedly kidnapped him.

They saidtheir father was held captive by Gen. Dostum for 16 days. The captive was also beaten up.But the vice-president said Eshchi had been detained by security forces for supporting militants.

EU members and Australia, Canada and Norway released a statement on Tuesday, asking the Ashraf Ghani administration to formally investigate reports of Dostum’s human rights violations and misuse of authority.

These countries urged the Afghans to work together to promote peace, stability and democracy, as well as respect the country’s constitution.

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