Govt release 75 prisoners of HI from Kabul prison

Monitoring Desk

KABUL: The Afghan government on Thursday released scores of prisoners of Hezb-e-Islami from prison in Kabul in a bid to help implement the articles of peace deal between Gulbuddin Hekmatayr and the government.

The officials confirmed that the prisoners were released during a ceremony from Pul-e-Charkhi prison in East of capital Kabul.

The officials further added that a total of 75 prisoners were released from the jail as per the peace agreement signed between the government and the leader of Hezb-e-Islami. The peace deal between the Afghan government and Hekmatyar was signed late in 2016 and Hezb-e-Islami was expecting the immediate release of scores of its prisoners from the jails.

However, the process of delayed for a long period of time due to some issues the process was facing and as reports regarding the release of the prisoners sparked an uproar among the rights activists.

According to reports, the human rights advocates and certain organizations supporting human rights had stepped up efforts to stop the release of the prisoners.

The peace deal between Hezb-e-Islami and the government was signed amid optimisms that the other militant groups will follow Hekmayar to opt the reconciliation process.

However, the country’s main armed opposition, the Taliban group has so far refrained to participate in any form of negotiations aimed at peace agreement.