KABUL (Pajhwok): The Ministry of Interior (MoI) has said steps had been taken to ensure the rights of prisoners in lock-ups while flaws in the unprofessional behavior of police would be addressed.
Reacting to UNAMA report, the MoI in a statement said: “An independent institution dealing with prisoner affairs had been established and is functioning since a year therefore matters related to the prisoners torture did not fall on MoI; However, anything that indicates the unprofessional behavior of the police refer to the MoI and We consider ourselves obliged to investigate and follow up that in this regard (torture of detainees), practical measures have already been taken.”
The MoI, in order to address the above-mentioned cases had included relevant legal aspects in the curriculum of police training centers and in addition had organized seminars, workshops and other legal compliance courses to raise police awareness
The MoI, while emphasizing that police are committed and obliged to behave well with individuals under surveillance and detention, they consider themselves bound by the applicable laws of the country as well as international conventions. It also assures that if police officers do not comply with these violations, they will be dealt with in accordance with the law
Earlier a UNAMA report said the percentage of credible allegations of incidents of torture and ill-treatment committed by the Afghan forces was recorded at 30.3 percent — down from 31.9 percent for 2017-2018.
Allegations of torture in Afghan National Police (ANP) custody was 27.2 percent, a decrease from the previously recorded 31.2 percent.
A reduction in allegations of torture in National Directorate of Security (NDS) custody from 19.4 to 16 percent was noted.
The report highlights the important role played by internal mechanisms in preventing torture, especially NDS human rights officers visiting places of detention.
Similarly, efforts to prosecute the crime of torture under the 2018 Penal Code by the Anti-Torture Committee of the Attorney General’s Office are underscored.
Some sharp regional differences were noted in the number of allegations made by detainees. There was a particularly high number of allegations of torture and ill-treatment concerning the ANP in Kandahar, with 57.7 per cent of complaints.
The report also highlighted the disturbing reports of enforced disappearances allegedly linked to the ANP in Kandahar.
Considerable scope remained for improvement to safeguarding those rights, the report added. For example, in almost no instance of detention were detainees informed of their rights, able to access a lawyer, or went through medical examination, prior to questioning by officials.
Detainees’ ability to contact their families in early days after their arrests remained low, with 27.2 per cent in ANP custody and 19.7 per cent in NDS custody.
Nearly half of all persons detained by the ANP and NDS asserted that they were asked to sign or thumbprint a document without knowing its content.
The report expresses particular concern with the practice of solitary and incommunicado detention in NDS custody.
UNAMA recommended the creation of an independent national preventive mechanism on torture described in the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture.
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