§ Lord Hyltonasked Her Majesty's Government:
What is their response to the views of Mr Peter Klaiber, the European Union envoy in Afghanistan, concerning the conditions of prisoners held by the Northern Alliance; and whether they will seek to have these prisoners released. [HL4352]
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§ Baroness AmosWe are concerned about the reported conditions in which prisoners are being held in certain parts of Afghanistan.
Security considerations have so far prevented our embassy staff in Kabul visiting these prisons. But they are in frequent contact with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), which closely monitors the situation and welfare of all prisoners in Afghanistan.
Throughout the conflict last autumn, we urged the Northern Alliance to respect the tenets of the Geneva conventions and to treat humanely all those who surrendered and were taken prisoner. Since then, we have made clear to the Afghan Interim Administration that we expect them to respect their international obligations, including to treat their prisoners humanely.