U.N. envoy concerned at Afghanistan jail conditions

By Jonathon Burch

KABUL (Reuters) - The U.N. special envoy expressed concern on Sunday over the conditions in detention centres in Afghanistan, saying they must be brought up to international standards to prevent further radicalisation of detainees.

Kai Eide, U.N. secretary-general Ban Ki-moon's special envoy to Afghanistan, said he had visited one facility in the capital Kabul and planned to visit several more, including the prison at Bagram, the main U.S. military base.

Bagram prison has become a symbol of detainee abuses for Afghans after the deaths of two detainees in 2002. In June, the BBC reported allegations of abuse and neglect at the facility after interviewing 27 former inmates.

"I have been concerned about the situation in detention centres," Eide told a news conference in Kabul.

"It's important that the situation for detainees are such that they are in accordance with international laws, international standards and that they do not lead to further radicalisation," he said.

It was too early to draw any lasting conclusions after only visiting one facility, Eide said, but the United Nations would be appealing to international donors and the Afghan government to allocate more resources to improve conditions.

Eide said U.S. authorities had so far been positive and he was waiting for them to confirm a date for him to visit Bagram. More than 600 prisoners are held at Bagram's makeshift prison, and a $60 million prison complex is planned.