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Report: Afghan Prison Abuse Began in 2002

By Jeralyn, Section Terror Detainees
Posted on Sun Mar 13, 2005 at 05:41:29 AM EST
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Human Rights Watch reports that abuse of Afghan prisoners dates back to at least December, 2002 when two detainees were killed by U.S. troops:

Unreleased U.S. Army reports detailing the deaths of two Afghan men who were beaten to death by American soldiers show that military prison abuses began in Afghanistan in 2002, and were part of a systematic pattern of mistreatment, a human rights representative said Saturday.

More than two dozen American soldiers face possible criminal prosecution - and one already is charged with manslaughter - in the deaths at the main U.S. detention facility in Bagram, just north of the Afghan capital of Kabul.

HRW has obtained 20 pages of Army reports that had been heavily edited when released to the ACLU pursuant to its FOIA report. HRW's researcher says:

"The Bush Administration and the Pentagon describe the abuse problems as isolated incidents, not systematic, not part of a plan. The evidence shows otherwise," Sifton said. "Far from being isolated incidents, these beatings were part of a pattern of abuse."

At least one site reported this in December, 2002. [More here and here.]We noted the deaths in March, 2003, and asked, why were they then just coming to light?

The men died shortly after arriving at Bagram air base north of the Afghan capital, Kabul. The first man died December 3 of a pulmonary embolism and the second one December 10 of a heart attack. Autopsies found that "blunt force trauma" was a contributing factor in both cases, military sources said.

George Washington Law Professor Jonathan Turley also wrote about the deaths in March, 2003 and alleged that Bagram was a torture facility

For months, international human rights groups have been protesting activities at the Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan. In a closed-off part of the base, the CIA has constructed an "interrogation center" out of metal shipping containers. Last year, reports began to surface that the CIA was getting information the old-fashioned way -- by breaking suspects physically, except when they inconveniently die.

It wasn't just Bagram back then either. As we wrote here , the New York Times reported extensively in "Questioning Terror Suspects in a Dark and Surreal World."

A week later, still in March, 2003, two released Afghan prisoners reported being tortured at Bagram. Amnesty International and the Lawyers Committee on Human Rights (now Human Rights First )voiced complaints in November, 2003.

< Report on Mistreatment of Muslims at U.S. Prison | Who Pays DeLay's Legal Fees? >

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    Report: Afghan Prison Abuse Began in 2002 | 6 comments (6 topical)
    Re: Report: Afghan Prison Abuse Began in 2002 (none / 0) (#1)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sun Mar 13, 2005 at 09:11:12 AM EST
    Whats new? after all freedom is on the move and in the end it will make its move on you! Our great old boy bush is specializing in the ideals of deconstruction of our so called nation and in order to help people all over the world come to one understanding he needs you to get the point of his propaganda so some of his friends can make a-lot-of-money, so whats new? the political ideals of "we don't know whats going on in Iraq or afghan prison systems, its all about the lie and here in our never-never land of really good bull.

    Re: Report: Afghan Prison Abuse Began in 2002 (none / 0) (#2)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sun Mar 13, 2005 at 09:50:06 AM EST
    Two words: war crimes. Wait a minute, a third word occurs to me: fascists. A bunch of grunts will do time. Maybe twenty to fifty years from now all the directives from the top to acquire "intelligence" from the detainees will be released and the full story will be known. Justice delayed is justice denied. It's kind of like the Pinochet prosecution. Sometimes the fascists of the world need to provide a sacrificial lamb. Pinochet will serve, Kissinger will walk. You connect the dots kimosabe.

    Re: Report: Afghan Prison Abuse Began in 2002 (none / 0) (#3)
    by Dadler on Sun Mar 13, 2005 at 10:10:34 AM EST
    and american prison abuse started a few hundred years before that.

    Re: Report: Afghan Prison Abuse Began in 2002 (none / 0) (#4)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sun Mar 13, 2005 at 12:02:06 PM EST
    Let's see, what possible reason could there be for American soliders to rough up prisoners in Afghanistan? Oh yeah, to save all our lives. Spare me this criticism of the Bush government please. What would you prefer, Al Gore in charge in times like these? Yeah, we'd be a lot safer with Al Gore in charge. You people think we're involed in a game or something, as opposed to a struggle for our very existence. My only consoliation is that with people like you screaming your nonsense (as loudly as possible please) on the left, the Democrats may not win back the White House for decades. Just leave keeping the country safe to the adults please.

    Re: Report: Afghan Prison Abuse Began in 2002 (none / 0) (#5)
    by soccerdad on Sun Mar 13, 2005 at 02:58:39 PM EST
    and speaking of fascists, one pops up right on queue

    Re: Report: Afghan Prison Abuse Began in 2002 (none / 0) (#6)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Mon Mar 14, 2005 at 01:37:08 PM EST
    "Posted by MB: "Yeah, we'd be a lot safer with Al Gore in charge." There is clear evidence we would be. For one thing, it's a sure thing that Gore would have killed bin Laden when he was trapped at Tora Bora, unlike Bush who cheaped out, and let him escape. The list goes on. Bush is the worst C-in-C in US history, with the possible exception of William Henry Harrison.

    Report: Afghan Prison Abuse Began in 2002 | 6 comments (6 topical)