KABUL – The head of the United Nations operations centre in the southern region and officers from the UN Human Rights Unit today visited Kandahar Sarpoza Central Prison to meet with prisoners and detainees from the political, criminal and women’s blocks.

“The purpose of our visit is to see the condition of the prisoners and inspect various blocks and section of the prison,” said UNAMA’s Head of Office, Abdusamat Khaydarov, during a meeting with the head of the Kandahar prison, Mohammad Ghulam Farooq.

In April, more than 470 political prisoners escaped from the jail in a spectacular prison break through an approximately 1,000 feet under ground tunnel.

There are now more than 1,100 inmates, including 17 women, at the prison serving and charged for different crimes.

“All the inmates are treated according to the rules and regulations, and their rights are respected,” Farooq said, adding that inmates are provided with good food, health facilities and other services.

In addition, prisoners had taken part in vocational training courses where they had earned money by selling their products in local markets. The programme is currently suspended but is due to start again soon, according to Farooq.

During the visit the UNAMA Human Rights Officers interviewed detainees and prisoners about the prison conditions. Some identified poor hygiene, a lack of electricity, a lack of sporting activities and a lack of mosquito nets as the major problems.

“We don’t have recreational activities in the prison. We also face problems with hygiene and power shortage,” said Ahmad.

Overall, the prisoners expressed satisfaction with the behaviour of the prison staff.

By UNAMA Kandahar