NZ defense chief's report upholds human rights of Afghan detainees

New Zealand special forces in Afghanistan have "robust rules" in place to ensure they treat detainees in accordance with internationally accepted procedures, New Zealand Defence Minister Wayne Mapp said Friday. Mapp made the pledge while releasing a report by New Zealand Chief of Defence Force (CDF) Lieutenant General Rhys Jones on the implications for the Special Air Service Group (NZSAS) when the Afghan National Police Crisis Response Unit (CRU) detains Afghan nationals. The NZSAS is mentoring the CRU as part of its mission in Afghanistan. The CDF report followed a report by the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), which detailed inappropriate behavior against and mistreatment of prisoners in detention facilities of Afghan security agencies, based on interviews with about 380 prisoners. New Zealand, along with other nations contributing to the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan (ISAF), ensured that the wellbeing of persons they had captured was monitored, said a statement from Mapp on the CDF report. "CDF's report says New Zealand forces in Afghanistan have robust rules in place to ensure that they do not have to compromise the standards expected of them by New Zealand, the UN, NATO/ISAF and the Afghan government," said the statement. Mapp said the ISAF legal team, which included New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) legal officer posted to ISAF headquarters in Kabul, was already working to implement a six-phase plan to improve detention operations and establish safeguards to prevent mistreatment.