KABUL (Pajhwok): A family in Kabul on Wednesday called on the United States to release their family member Abdul Rahim, who has been imprisoned in Guantanamo Bay prison since last 17 years.
The family said Abdul Rahim was innocent and never being charged with any crime and urged the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) to help them regarding his release.
Abdul Rahim’s son Ismail said unknown people arrested his father in Pakistan’s Lahore city about 17 years ago.
He added about four years after his father’s arrest, the International Committee of the Red Cross informed them that Rahim was in Guantanamo prison.
“We belong to Chaparhar district of Nangarhar. During the IEA previous government, my father worked in the drug prevention department in Nangarhar.”
He called on international human rights organizations to mount pressure on the US to release his father from Guantanamo prison.
Abdul Rahim’s mother Saifura Bibi said her son remained imprisoned in Guantanamo prison since last 17 years. “My son was arrested innocently. I want America to release him.”
Abdul Rahim’s mother also asked the Islamic Emirate to cooperate with then in getting released Rahim.
IEA spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told Pajhwok: “The Islamic Emirate is trying to get released all Afghans held in prisons in any country, especially in Guantanamo.”
He said they had repeatedly raised the issue of prisoners with US officials in meetings and they would continue to pursue the issue.
In September 2022, the US released an Afghan tribal elder Haji Bashir Noorzai from Guantanamo prison after 17 years.
At that time, acting Foreign Minister Maulvi Amir Khan Muttaqi had said Haji Bashir was released in exchange for an American citizen, Mark Frerich.
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