U.S. Plans to Hand Bagram Over to Afghanistan

By Alok Bhatt
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

BAGRAM, Afghanistan – The US recently released a statement divulging a definite plan to relinquish its absolute military control over the Bagram air-base.  Although both Afghan and US officials acknowledge that the process will entail some convoluted technicalities, there seems to be a mutual promise of greater transparency and humane practices regarding the treatment of inmates.  The US’s designs to give up full control of Bagram over seems to be part fulfillment of the Obama administration’s statement made in the late months of 2009 regarding openness in procedures in the miltary prison.

Both the US and Afghanistan agree that the US will retain some degree of functioning in the operation of Bagram, but the prison will be ultimately under the rule of Afghanistan.  Both governments aspire to create a situation in which Afghanistan can fully oversee Bagram’s operations by January 2011.

Bagram air-base currently holds approximately 750 inmates, about 30 among them being foreign nationals.  The prison was also significantly renovated in the 2009, expanded to accommodate over 1,100 inmates and a larger military presence within the walls of the complex itself.  The Obama administration’s promise of greater transparency regarding the treatment of inmates was delivered soon after the completion of the Bagram renovation project.

Although the Afghan government’s control over the air-base turned prison could signify a progressive step towards more humane practices, Bagram’s notoriety could continue to attract criticism and the scrutiny of the international community.  The prison has drawn inevitable comparisons to Guantanamo Bay, and human rights groups have even stated that the conditions and treatment of prisoners in Bagram is actually worse.  Prisoners have actually complained that they have been afforded less civil rights than the inmates in Guantanamo.

Numerous investigations into the conditions and practices and Bagram have been conducted to confirm the mistreatment of inmates.  Many of the inmates were taken from nations surrounding Afghanistan and transported to the prison without knowing the reason for their detention.  Also, in 2002, two inmates died in Bagram and investigations revealed that they had been subject to sleep deprivation and severe beatings.  Other rights violations in the prison include the confirmed detention of inmates under the age of sixteen, subject to the same harsh treatment as all other inmates.

The Afghan control over Bagram could be an opportunity to protect the rights of prisoners and maintain a more transparent mode of operations within the facility.

For more information, please see:

Al-Jazeera – US unveils Bagram handover plan – 27 February 2010

Current.com – US Signs Agreement to Hand Over Bagram Military Prison to Afghanistan – 11 January 2010

Xinhua – US to hand over detention center to Afghan gov’t – 11 January 2010

Author: Impunity Watch Archive