Legal Commentary

New Abuse Allegations at Bagram in Afghanistan

By Jeralyn

The Open Society Foundation has released a new report on detainee abuse by the U.S. military at a detention facility in Afghanistan:

The accounts by Afghans—who refer to the site as “Tor Jail” or “Black Jail”—are not in accordance with U.S. detention rules. The report, Confinement Conditions at a U.S. Screening Facility on Bagram Air Base, provides the first detailed account of detainee treatment at this classified site, which is different than the well-know Bagram detention facility.

Detainees state that they were held in excessively cold isolation cells; supplied inappropriate or inadequate food, bedding, and blanketing; denied exposure to natural light; unable to carry out their religious duties; restricted from exercise; and kept from meeting with the International Committee of the Red Cross.

[More...]

If the allegations are true, they violate U.S. policy and more, such as:

[rules]in the Army’s Human Intelligence Collector Operations Field Manual, and Common Article 3 of the Four Geneva Conventions of 1949, which prohibits “cruel treatment and torture,” and “outrages upon personal dignity, in particular humiliating and degrading treatment.”

Recommendations:

The report calls on the government to conduct an investigation to ensure that personnel at the facility uphold Department of Defense detainee treatment rules and standards. A thorough review of U.S. interrogation and detainee treatment rules is also needed to ensure compliance with international detainee treatment standards. The report recommends immediate actions to reduce the likelihood of mistreatment, such as providing additional food and blankets to detainees.

Full post as published by TalkLeft on October 15, 2010 (boomark / email).