Kai Eide visits US detention facilities at Bagram

Kai Eide, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). UN Photo/Devra Berkowitz.

The UN Special Representative for Afghanistan, Kai Eide, visited US military detention facilities at Bagram this past week as part of ongoing efforts to examine conditions for detainees.

The visit was part of a series that Mr Eide is making to detention facilities in and around Kabul aimed at bringing about improvements in conditions.

Speaking later, Mr Eide outlined his three objectives: “My intention with these visits are first to see for myself the conditions at these facilities. Second, I want to see that detainees are being provided with a means to be in touch with their families. And lastly, they must have access to due process.”

Mr Eide has examined conditions at several detention facilities in recent weeks, and on 2 August appealed at a press conference to donors and Government to fund vitally needed improvements.

“It is important that the situation for the detainees is such that they are in accordance with international law, international standards and that they do not lead to further radicalization,” he told journalists on that occasion.

Source: Unama.unmissions.org

Click here to read UN interview with Mr. Eide.