Afghan investigators are accusing the US of committing abuse against people detained at the Bagram military prison. An investigation revealed that inmates had been tortured and many had been held without any evidence of wrong doing. US authorities were surprised by the announcement given that the base had been working with Afghans over a two year hand over of power to local government. Many believe the shock comes from the fact US involvement in the prison was about to end. Meaning they were surprised because they figured no one would say something this close to the hand over of power.

The investigation brought forward the case of a 71 year old inmate named Abdul Jabar who had been kept in a blacked outed room with no light and had lost a tooth after being punched by a guard. Some have complained about forms of abuse such as being beaten, being subjected to humiliating body searches and being made subject to extreme cold temperatures. Other prisoners spoke of misconduct and some alleged that they had been tortured.

The US has said they will investigate the claims made by prisoners. A spokesman for the US embassy in Kabul said, “We take seriously and investigate all allegations of detainee abuse”.

The Bagram prison is also know as the Parwan Detention Center and is said to contain about 3,000 inmates. At the moment 300 of those detainees are said to be under Afghan control. Many of whom are accused of being terrorists with what is suspected by many to be with little to no evidence.

Controversy at Bagram is nothing new, in February 2010 it became exposed that Pakistani neuroscientist Aafia Siddiqui was framed for the attempted murder of US personnel in Afghanistan’s Ghazni Province in 2008. This was exposed as a plan to cover up the fact that her and her son had been detained illegally by a lack of evidence and contradictory testimony from witnesses. She was sentenced to 86 years in prison.

Despite the lack of media attention of conditions on the ground in Afghanistan, crimes are still being committed.

Article Source:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-16457143

Aafia Siddiqui:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2012975772_apusalqaidasuspectshooting.html