20:17
Tieng Anh Vui
The UK is to restart the transfer of Afghan detainees captured by British forces to the Afghan justice system later this month, the MoD has said.
Defence Secretary Philip Hammond banned transfers in November because of claims that detainees were being abused.
The MoD said it was "satisfied it is safe" to transfer detainees and the process would restart from 26 June.
It comes after the BBC learned last week that dozens of Afghans were being held at Camp Bastion without charge.
Mr Hammond confirmed up to 90 suspected insurgents were being held at Britain's main base in Afghanistan but said releasing them could endanger British troops.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) later said it had found a "safe route" for their return.
US base
The detainees will be transferred to the Afghan National Detention Facility in Parwan province, about 700km (450 miles) from Camp Bastion.
The MoD said the UK government had been working with its Afghan counterparts to find a safe way to resume transfers of detainees to the Afghan judicial system since last November.
The UK will not transfer detainees to any facility where there is a real risk of serious mistreatment, the MoD said.
It said many of those held were suspected of involvement in the preparation, facilitation, or laying of improvised explosive devices against British forces, or had been picked up at the scenes of shootings of British soldiers.
They were held pending transfer to Afghan authorities for prosecution, it said.
Mr Hammond said the facility at Parwan had received "positive reports" from humanitarian organisations that monitor conditions.
"Our coalition allies also now transfer detainees to the same Afghan facility. I am confident the safeguards in place will ensure detainees will not be at risk of mistreatment," he said.
"Detaining individuals on the battlefield is crucial to stopping those who intend to kill British servicemen and women. Our troops must be able to detain enemies on the battlefield and debrief them for intelligence purposes and will continue to do so before transferring them into the Afghan judicial system."
'Exceptional circumstances'
Suspects in Afghanistan are normally allowed to be detained by British forces for 96 hours.
Nato guidelines on detention:
- British forces operate in Afghanistan as part of the Nato-led International Security Assistance Force (Isaf)
- They are allowed to hold suspects for up to 96 hours before they are released or transferred to Afghan authorities
- This can be extended in "exceptional circumstances" where it is necessary to gather intelligence from the detainee to protect British soldiers and local people
- But there has been a bar on detainees being transferred to Afghan authorities since last November because of allegations that detainees were being abused
However, in "exceptional circumstances" to gather critical intelligence for example, they can hold them for longer.
Parliament had been informed and updated about the "temporary holding facility" at Camp Bastion, but the number of detainees currently being held there had not been known until the BBC reports last week.
Lawyers acting for eight of the detainees said they had been arrested by British soldiers in raids in villages in Helmand and Kandahar provinces and held for up to 14 months without being told why.
They argued their detention could be unlawful and launched habeas corpus applications at the High Court in London.
Habeas corpus argues for the right to be brought before a court to determine whether their detainment is lawful or not.
It is unclear whether a full hearing - due in late July - will now take place.
Đăng ký: Tieng Anh Vui
Posted in: 
0 comments:
Post a Comment