Officials in Kandahar prevented two of the province's parliamentarians from visiting the Kandahar Jail as a follow-up to a recent UN report alleging widespread torture in Afghan prisons.
Mohammad Naeem Lalai Ahmadzai and Abdul Rahim Ayubi wanted to visit the prison facility to meet with prisoners but were prevented by prison guards because they were not accompanied by officials from the judiciary. The two MPs now allege that provincial officials are trying to hide ongoing torture in the prison.
"We endorse the UN report on prisoner abuse in prisons because they didn't allow us to observe the situation for ourselves," said MP Ayubi, adding that prison officials had something to hide.
Kandahar Prison Head Abdul Farouq said that he was under orders by the provincial governor to stop anyone not accompanied by judiciary officials from visiting prisoners.
The governor's spokesman reiterated Farouq's claim, adding that the policy doesn't allow any individual or organization to visit the facility without accompaniment from judicial officials.