UN report: Torture still rampant in Afghan prisons as government tries to hide or ignore abuse
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The United Nations says Afghan authorities are still torturing prisoners, such as hanging them by their wrists and beating them with cables, a year after the U.N. first documented the abuse and the Afghan government promised detention reform.
In a report issued on Sunday, the U.N. says there has been little progress in curbing abuse in Afghan prisons despite a year of effort by the U.N. and international military forces in Afghanistan. The report also cites instances where Afghan authorities have tried to hide mistreatment from U.N. monitors.
Aimal Faizi, a spokesman for the Afghan president, says it was not Afghan policy to torture or abuse prisoners.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}He says the government has started investigating and will take action regarding cases of abuse mentioned in the U.N. report.