Afghanistan: Clean surrender needed

* News Release Issued by the International Secretariat of Amnesty International *

11 December 2001 ASA 11/003/2001 219/01

Following reports that significant numbers of Al-Qaeda fighters are surrendering in the Tora Bora region of southern Afghanistan, Amnesty International called for appropriate arrangements to be made for the processing and protection of prisoners, many of whom are likely to be non-Afghan nationals.

"The recent events at the Qala-i-Jhangi fort near Mazar-i-Sharif, where several hundred captured Taleban fighters and others were killed in disputed circumstances, and news reports today that dozens of others apparently suffocated in sealed shipping containers, while being transported to a prison in Shibarghan, heighten concerns for the treatment of any other surrendering combattants."

"The key role of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in overseeing the processing and treatment of prisoners must be facilitated to ensure that people are properly protected."

For the latest information on the 11 September Crisis visit: http://web.amnesty.org/11september.htm

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