AFGHANISTAN TO FREE DANGEROUS BAGRAM PRISONERS, DESPITE US CONCERNS

 

     Kabul, 4 Rabi’ul Awwal 1435/6 January 2014 (MINA) – The Afghan review board has announced to release the 88 prisoners from the Bagram prison, despite the prisoners were branded as dangerous by United States.

     Abdul Shakur Dadras, a member of the review panel which reviews the cases of prisoners in Bagram prison, has told Reuters, “The documents we have seen so far provide no reason to convict them.”

      Dadras further added, “Our decision is to release them as soon as possible if there is no incriminating evidence against them,” Khaama Press quoted by Mi’raj News Agency (MINA) as reporting. 

    This comes as Afghan president Hamid Karzai following his meeting with the US senators on Thursday, ordered to review the cases of 88 prisoners, who are believed to be involved in major attacks against the Afghan and US forces.

     President Karzai told the visiting US senators that the innocent prisoners must be released and the criminals should be tried based on the laws of Afghanistan.

     US senator Lindsey Graham following his meeting with president Hamid Karzai, told repoters that the release of the dangerous prisoners will have a negative impact on the future relationshipment between the American people and Afghan government.

     The commission to review the cases of Bagram prisoners, was formed based on a presidential decree earlier this year, after Bagram prison was transferred to the government of Afghanistan.

     The responsibilities of US-run Bagram prison was handed over to the Afghan government late in March this year, after Kabul and Washington reached a deal for the transfer the detention facility to Afghan control.

     Transfer of Bagram prison where nearly 3,000 suspected Taliban and al-Qaida operatives were held, was a source of tension between Afghanistan and the United States.

      The transfer had been delayed several times over the past couple of years, with US officials citing thorny issues such as whether Afghans can be held without trial and whether the U.S. will have the power to block the release of detainees it considers particularly dangerous.

     However, the prison was transferred after Afghan government offered “private assurances” that detainees whom the United States considers to be most dangerous would not be released.(T/P09/P03)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)