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Juvenile offenders deny being attacked sexually

Juvenile offenders deny being attacked sexually

author avatar
31 Jan 2015 - 18:20
Juvenile offenders deny being attacked sexually
author avatar
31 Jan 2015 - 18:20

KANDAHAR CITY (Pajhwok): Inmates of a juvenile correctional centre inside the main prison in southern Kandahar province have gone on hunger strike, officials confirmed on Saturday.

But female prisoners denied being sexually assaulted by men in the jail. They spurned media reports about three girls being held hostage and raped in the correctional facility.

Speaking to Pajhwok Afghan News, both prison officials and juvenile offenders complained the release of the “baseless news story” had tarnished their image and violated their rights.

Director of Justice Nek Mohammad Ahmadi, who also heads the centre, explained the inmates had been striking to push certain demands. Reports about the protest being sparked by sexual assaults were groundless, he said. 

According to Ahmadi, four girls and 79 boys involved in murder, sodomy and elopements are held at the facility. Five boys were freed recently in compliance with a presidential decree.

Subsequently, the director continued, the remaining juvenile offenders also demanded their release under the same presidential directive.

Ahmadi said the prisoners, who had closed the doors, went on strike on January 24 at 7:30am. But the four girls were taken out from the area within 20 minutes.

“I emphatically reject the allegations that the female prisoners were held hostage until 12:00 noon and that they were raped. The prisoners called off their strike at 11:00am.”

Human rights, security and judicial organs reviewed the situation and found the claim absurd.

Shamsuddin Tanvir, an official of the Kandahar Human Rights Commission, said rape did not occur at the correctional centre and the media had quoted him out of context.

He told Pajhwok Afghan News the prisoners protested against lack of accommodation, playgrounds and other facilities. 

Haji Niamatullah, a provincial council member, told Pajhwok he was unaware of the incident until he heard of it from the media. He said he wanted to get to the bottom of it.

He added nothing had happened in the prison, but what two of his colleagues had spoken to the media did not represent the council’s official position.

Human Rights Department’s deputy head Zubaida said she had visited the facility and interviewed many female inmates, who repudiated the reports as malicious and misleading.

Speaking to Pajhwok on condition of anonymity, four female inmates said the reports of sexual assault were false. They said: “We heard noises that male prisoners had escaped. Some of those prisoners wanted to take us out but we had already shut the doors. Then the police came in time.”

Stern action should be taken against those media outlets and two provincial council members for the errant reports that would result in female inmates’ dishonour.

دى وايي، په دارالتاديب کې هېڅ داسې پېښه نه ده شوې او د ولايتي شورا دوو غړو يونسي او سرينا فيضي بې له دې چې معلومات ولري، د ولايتي شورا له چوکاټ دباندې په دې اړه له رسنيو سره خبرې کړې دي، چې ناسمې دي.

د بشر حقونو د ښځو د څانګې مرستيالې زبيدې پژواک اژانس ته وويل، چې همدا نن دارالتاديب ته ورغلې او له بندي نجونو سره يې خبرې کړې او هغوى ورته ويلي، چې له هغوى سره د زور زياتي او جنسي تېري هېڅ پېښه نه ده شوې.

په دارالتاديب کې بندي څلورو تنو نجونو د خپل هويت او نوم پټ ساتلو سره له پژواک اژانس سره په مرکو کې وويل، چې نارينه بنديانو د اعتصاب پر مهال هغوى ته هېڅ زيان نه دى اړولى.

په دغه مرکز کې يوې بندي نجلۍ وويل: ((سهار وختي و، موږ له خوب نه وو پورته شوې، ناڅاپه چت سورى شو، موږ چيغې کړې چې بنديان را خوشې شول، بنديانو هڅه کوله موږ راوباسي، خو موږ دروازه وتړله؛ دا مهال پوليس هم راغلي وو او هغوى بريالي نه شول چې موږ را وباسي.))

دې زياته کړه، چې بنديانو له هغوى سره هېڅ غرض نه دى کړى، خو هغې رسنۍ چې دغه رپورټ يې خپور کړى او د ولايتي شورا هغو دوو غړو چې دغسې ناسمې څرګندونې يې کړې دي، بايد قانوني چلند ورسره وشي او زموږ د حيثيت اعاده وشي.

يوې بلې نجلۍ هم ورته څرګندونې وکړې او ويې ويل، چې بنديانو د اعتصاب پر مهال دوى ته ويل چې له هغوى سره کوم غرض نه لري، خو يواځې د خپلو غوښتنو د پوره کولو لپاره اعتصاب کوي.

نوموړې هم د هغو کسانو محاکمه وغوښته، چې د دوى په اړه يې د جنسي تېري کولو خبرونه خپاره کړي دي.

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