Canada halts Afghan prisoner exchange

[Judi Lynn]

Canada halts Afghan prisoner exchange
by Dan Karpenchuk
28-01-2008

The Canadian parliament resumes this week after its Christmas break, and it's shaping up to be an uncomfortable start for prime minister Stephen Harper's minority government. In fact his Conservatives will be trying to stay a step ahead of a growing controversy over Afghan detainees.

New information shows that Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan stopped handing over prisoners to Afghan authorities months ago, but that never became public. Late last week, a spokesperson for the prime minister's office said the military made the decision without informing the government. She later backtracked, saying she mis-spoke herself.

Credible allegations
The news of the change in policy was confirmed by a senior officer in the Canadian military.
Brigadier General Andre Deschamps testified before a federal court in Ottawa last week that the transfers ended at the beginning of November after the acting commander in Afghanistan heard of credible allegations of torture by Afghan authorities.

It was a secret shift in policy by Ottawa, and it came months after prime minister Harper's government ridiculed oppositon parties for making the same allegations. The issue became public after two human rights groups said they had received letters from government lawyers advising that the transfer of detainees had stopped because of evidence of torture.

More:
http://www.radionetherlands.nl/currentaffairs/080128-afghan-prisoners