KABUL members on Wednesday expressed concern over kidnapping and physically assaulting a noted tribal elder by security guards of First Vice-President Gen. Abdul Rashid Dostum and requested a comprehensive investigation.
However, some other members of the lower house of parliament rejected the allegations against the VP and called it conspiracy against him.
Tribal elder Ahmad Eshchi, a former member of the Junbish-i-Milli Afghanistan party and a former governor of Jawzjan province, was reportedly rescued by intelligence agents on December 10 after spending 16 days in captivity.
Eshchi told reporters after his release that Dostum beat him in custody, sexually assaulted him and he was filmed naked. “Dostum also ordered his bodyguards to sexually assault me,” he had alleged. He said the 1st VP kept him in his personal prison undressed for five days.
Raihana Azad, a lawmaker from Uruzgan province. “This case should be investigated because it has created concerns for people, we should not look into the issue from tribal, regional or political angles.”
Lawmaker Saleh Mohammad Saleh from Kunar province called the incident as shameful and urged colleagues to jointly push for investigation into it.
MP Kamal Nasar Ausuli from Khost province also stressed investigation and said if it was a conspiracy, then Eshchi should be punished. “If it is a fact, then people do not want Dostum as first VP and should be brought to justice.”
However, a number of other lawmakers said it was a conspiracy against Dostum.
Jaafar Mahdavi, a representative from Kabul, said, “We also support investigation of the case, but Eshchi’s sons said their father was in good health when released. “This should be cleared.”
Ghulam Hussain Naseri, a lawmaker from Maidan Wardak province, said the allegation needed a comprehensive investigation as some figures inside the government wanted to defame the first VP.
“Eshchi has personal problem with Dostum from the past several years, he failed to harm Dostum in armed attacks on him, now he wants to defame his character,” Bashir Ahmad Tayanj, an MP from Faryab said.
However, a statement from the 1st VP office had said the man had been arrested by security forces on the charge of financing insurgents.
First deputy speaker, Haji Zahir Qadir, chairing today’s meeting, asked the government to investigate allegations against Dostum impartially.
Stressing justice, he said, “Those who committing crimes should be taken to task.”
A statement from the Presidential Palace on Tuesday said the issue would be independently investigated.
UNAMA welcomed the government’s statement and the EU, US diplomatic missions and a number of other countries asked the Ashraf Ghani administration to formally investigate reports of human rights violations and misuse of authority by Dostum.
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