US State Dept: 90% of prisoners in Afghanistan are political

KABUL (Khaama Press): The US State Department, in its annual report on human rights, has stated that despite declaring a “general amnesty,” the Taliban has continued to detain citizens, especially those affiliated with the former Afghan government.
The US State Department recently released a report on the human rights situation in several countries, including Afghanistan, in 2023.
The report stated that 90% of Taliban prisoners are political.
The report added that the Taliban often detain Afghan citizens arbitrarily, without legal basis, and in the absence of legal support mechanisms for them.
According to the report, the Taliban last year detained individuals without any judicial process and kept them in long-term detention without organizing their right to have a lawyer.
According to the US State Department, almost all cases of Taliban detentions have been conducted in an “unfair” manner, as these arrests have no clear legal basis, and the detainees have not been informed about the reasons for their detention and the charges they face.
Following the regime change in Afghanistan, many former officials sought refuge in neighbouring countries to evade arbitrary detention, reprisals, and security threats. Despite the declaration of amnesty, the Taliban continues to detain former police officers and officials.