ISLAMABAD: The United Nations diplomatic mission in Afghanistan has documented over 1,600 cases of human rights violations during the arrest and subsequent detention of individuals, German news agency (dpa) quoted a new report released on Wednesday.
The report covers the period from Jan 1, 2022, to July 31, 2023, with cases documented across 29 of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces.
According to the report, half of these violations occurred throughout the process of arrest and custody in places of detention under the Interior Ministry and the spy agency of the country’s de facto authorities.
“In attempts to extract confessions or other information, detainees were subjected to severe pain and suffering, through physical beatings, electric shocks, asphyxiation, stress positions and forced ingestion of water, as well as blindfolding and threats,” the report added.
The authorities have been urged to immediately stop the systematic use of torture and to uphold their obligations to protect the lives of people in detention.
Responding to the report, the Taliban’s Foreign Ministry told the UN that they are respecting the rights of detainees and their Interior Ministry is currently working on drafting a procedure to prevent corporal punishment, persecution and torture in detention centres in the country.
Despite announcing a general amnesty for all Afghans who worked with the previous government and the US-led NATO forces, the Taliban are accused of violating human rights in Afghanistan.
Last month, the UN reported 200 extrajudicial killings by the Taliban of members of the former Afghan government backed by the West.-Bernama
