The Afghan Prison System: A Complex Web Of Incarceration And Rehabilitation

Afghanistan has between 24 and 77 prisons, with a total prisoner population of approximately 14,000 as of 2023. The country's prison system has been criticised for its poor conditions, with reports of overcrowding, torture, and human rights abuses. Pul-e-Charkhi prison, the country's largest, has a capacity of 5,000 to 14,000 inmates but held between 2,000 and 2,500 prisoners as of February 2023. Shebarghan prison, which holds up to 3,500 Pakistani and Afghan Taliban fighters, has been described as severely overcrowded, with inadequate food, sanitation, and medical care. The Taliban has also been known to utilise secret prisons, where they subject captives to harsh treatment and indefinite sentences.

Human rights violations in Afghan prisons

The history of human rights abuses in Afghan prisons is long and disturbing. During the Soviet-Afghan War, the Pul-e-Charkhi prison in Kabul became notorious for torture and executions. Some claim that between April 1978 and December 1979, around 27,000 political prisoners were executed there.

More recently, the Taliban has been accused of severe human rights violations in prisons, including arbitrary arrests, torture, and inhumane living conditions. The Taliban has also been known to operate secret prisons, where beatings and worse are commonplace.

The United States has also been implicated in human rights abuses in Afghan prisons. At the notorious Bagram Airbase prison, innocent civilians endured torture, humiliating conditions, and inhumane treatment. Additionally, the CIA orchestrated a system of "black sites" where at least 119 foreign Muslim men were rendered and secretly detained, with at least 39 being tortured.

Overall, the situation in Afghan prisons remains dire, with both the Taliban and foreign powers having committed severe human rights violations. Efforts to improve conditions and uphold human rights have been challenging due to the unstable political and security situation in the country.

Overcrowding in Pul-e-Charkhi prison

Pul-e-Charkhi prison, also known as the Afghan National Detention Facility, is a maximum-security prison located in Kabul, Afghanistan. It is the country's largest prison, with a capacity to house between 5,000 and 14,000 inmates. However, as of February 2023, the prison held only between 2,000 and 2,500 prisoners, most of whom were arrested and convicted within Kabul Province.

The construction of Pul-e-Charkhi prison began in the 1970s under the orders of former president Mohammed Daoud Khan and was completed in the 1980s. The prison has a long and disturbing history of violence, mass executions, and torture. It became notorious for torture and executions during the 1978 Saur Revolution and the subsequent ten-year Soviet war. It is believed that the communist People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA) executed around 27,000 political prisoners at Pul-e-Charkhi between April 1978 and December 1979.

The living conditions in the prison have been criticised by human rights groups as overcrowded and sub-par. There are eight cell blocks, but only three are in use, leading to overcrowding. The prison is designed to hold 5,000 inmates, but under the US-backed government, it often held more than 10,000 prisoners, including Taliban prisoners and criminals. The overcrowding has resulted in regular riots and escapes, with prisoners taking advantage of the insecure toilet arrangements to mingle with visitors and escape.

In 2007, the US military began transferring detainees from Bagram Air Base and the Guantanamo Bay detention camp to Pul-e-Charkhi. This further exacerbated the overcrowding issue, as the US planned to reduce the maximum number of men per cell from eight to two, halving the prison's capacity.

The poor conditions and overcrowding at Pul-e-Charkhi prison are not unique in Afghanistan. Shebarghan prison, which holds up to 3,500 Pakistani and Afghan Taliban fighters, is also severely overcrowded. Cells built for 10-15 prisoners now hold 80-110 men, leading to inadequate sanitation, food, and water supply. Dysentery and jaundice are prevalent, and many prisoners suffer from abdominal and respiratory problems.

The Afghan prison system has a history of human rights violations, with reports of abuses, torture, and poor conditions. The sudden change in power to the Taliban in 2021 has led to further uncertainty and concern regarding the treatment of prisoners.

Female prisoners in Afghanistan

There are between 24 and 77 prisons in Afghanistan, with an estimated total of 14,000 prisoners, including up to 1,100 women. The majority of Afghanistan's female prisoners have been imprisoned for 'moral crimes', such as drug use, running away from home, and sex outside of marriage. These "moral crimes" are often committed while women are attempting to flee sexual and gender-based violence. In fact, a report by Human Rights Watch states that incarcerations of women for moral crimes are on the rise, increasing from about 400 in 2011 to about 600 in 2013.

The conditions in Afghan prisons are often poor, with overcrowding, inadequate sanitation, and a lack of medical care. These issues are exacerbated for female prisoners, who face additional challenges such as a lack of gender-sensitive policies, inadequate training and staffing, and limited facilities for children. Furthermore, female prisoners in Afghanistan are often deprived of their legal rights, with many reporting that they were not informed of their right to remain silent or have access to a defence lawyer provided by the state.

One notable women's prison in Afghanistan is the Herat Women's Prison, located in the northeast sector of Herat city in western Afghanistan. The prison houses around 119 inmates and their 32 children. Many of the women in Herat Women's Prison have been charged with or found guilty of murdering their husbands, who subjected them to physical and verbal abuse.

Another example is the Pul-e-Charkhi prison, the country's largest prison, which has a capacity of between 5,000 and 14,000 inmates. As of February 2023, it held between 2,000 and 2,500 inmates, including about 70 female prisoners housed in a separate section.

Prison reform in Afghanistan

One of the main challenges in Afghanistan's prison system is overcrowding. Prisons like Pul-e-Charkhi, the country's largest, have been criticised for their sub-par living conditions and overcrowding. The prison was built to accommodate 5,000 to 14,000 inmates but has held up to 14,000 prisoners, leading to overcrowding and tension among prisoners. Sheberghan Prison, which holds up to 3,500 Pakistani and Afghan Taliban fighters, is another example of severe overcrowding, with cells built for 10-15 prisoners housing 80-110 men.

In addition to overcrowding, allegations of torture and human rights abuses within Afghan prisons have been widespread. Human rights groups have criticised the living conditions in Pul-e-Charkhi, and a report by Physicians for Human Rights found that conditions at Sheberghan Prison violate international standards for the treatment of prisoners. The report highlighted issues such as unclean water, inadequate food, lack of sanitation, and exposure to the winter cold, resulting in health issues like dysentery and jaundice among prisoners.

The United Nations (UN) has played a key role in Afghan prison reform, particularly at Pul-e-Charkhi, which has become a model for reform in the country. The UN has been involved in drafting and implementing a law on prisons and detention centres, as well as constructing and rehabilitating prison facilities. The UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), with funding from various countries, has led projects to improve conditions in detention centres and construct separate facilities for women and juveniles.

The Afghan government has also recognised the need for prison reform. The Ministry of Justice, which has jurisdiction over prisons and detention centres, has expressed its determination to improve conditions countrywide. The government has established a consultative working group to prepare a strategy for prison reform, including construction, rehabilitation, administration, and staff training. Additionally, the US has sought to reform the Bagram prison and the country's entire jail and judicial systems, addressing concerns about abuses and militant recruiting within prisons that strengthen the Taliban.

However, the prison system in Afghanistan continues to face challenges, especially with the Taliban regime no longer receiving financial and technical support from international donors. The future of prison reform may lie in creating linkages between formal and informal justice systems to improve the quality of justice, resolve disputes, and protect the rights of prisoners, especially women, who are often sentenced for so-called moral crimes.

Prison health services in Afghanistan

Prisons in Afghanistan have been criticised for their poor conditions and violations of human rights. A report by Physicians for Human Rights describes the conditions in an Afghan prison near Mazar-i-Sharif as "appalling", with overcrowding, unclean water, inadequate food, and a lack of sanitation. The report also highlights the difficulty of providing basic medical care due to a lack of supplies and inadequate facilities.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has been working to improve prison health services in Afghanistan. In Kandahar, the ICRC renovated and now supports a small clinic in the Sarposa prison compound, serving both adult blocks and a juvenile rehabilitation centre. The clinic is open from 8 am to 2 pm, with 24-hour standby for emergencies, and is staffed by a doctor, three nurses, a pharmacist, and a night duty nurse. The ICRC also provides drugs and medical supplies to the clinic and pays the salaries of the staff. Similar activities are being carried out by the ICRC at several other detention facilities in the country, in cooperation with prison authorities and the health ministry.

Despite these improvements, more work needs to be done to ensure that prison health services in Afghanistan meet minimum standards. A 2022 United Nations report, 'Assessment of Afghanistan Prison Health Services', found several gaps in the existing prison health services, including uneven availability of services for female prisoners. The report provides recommendations to assist national authorities and international donors in addressing these shortcomings, such as developing more opportunities for prison officials to share useful innovations implemented in some prisons.

According to the World Prison Brief, as of 2013, there were 34 provincial prisons, 187 district detention centres, and 30 juvenile rehabilitation centres in Afghanistan. However, the total number of prisons is estimated to be between 24 and 77.

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