KABUL (PINA) - One of the three Afghan men, just released from the Guantanamo Bay prison, described the hardship he encountered in a journey that extended for nearly a year. He, along with two other men, very old with disputed ages, is now back in Kabul. The three prisoners said that they were isolated and interrogated for long periods of time and were not allowed contacts with their families.
One of the three men insists that he is 105 years old, although American authorities decided that the man was born in 1931. Another man, also in his 70s, says that they are innocent. Both, clearly suffer from memory loss and are unable to articulate their thoughts.
But the third man, 35-year-old Jan Mohammed admits that he fought along the former Afghan government, the Taliban, but claims he was forced to join the fight.
One of the three men insists that he is 105 years old, although American authorities decided that the man was born in 1931. Another man, also in his 70s, says that they are innocent. Both, clearly suffer from memory loss and are unable to articulate their thoughts.
But the third man, 35-year-old Jan Mohammed admits that he fought along the former Afghan government, the Taliban, but claims he was forced to join the fight.
He spoke about his time in the U.S. military base in Cuba. "They kept us in cages like animals," he said, referring to the chain-link open-air cells where hundreds of prisoners, mostly Afghans are held.
The treatment of the prisoners in Guantanamo is being repeatedly criticized by human rights groups.
The U.S. refuses to consider its prisoners “prisoners of war” and is yet to try them according to the “customs of war”.
The treatment of the prisoners in Guantanamo is being repeatedly criticized by human rights groups.
The U.S. refuses to consider its prisoners “prisoners of war” and is yet to try them according to the “customs of war”.