KABUL, Afghanistan, Feb. 16 (UPI) -- Human Rights Watch said Friday the U.S. government has failed to investigate allegations of prisoner abuse by U.S. forces in Afghanistan.
The rights group said it supports the conviction and sentencing of David Passaro, a CIA contractor who was sentenced Tuesday to 8 1/2 years in prison for the June 2003 beating death of Abdul Wali at a border post but the case marks a rare exception to the United States' reluctance to investigate and prosecute detainee abuse cases.
"No one should be above the law in Afghanistan," said Sam Zarifi, Human Rights Watch's Asia research director. "The United States and its allies have promised to reform the rule of law and the justice system in Afghanistan but until the U.S. is willing to provide accountability for its own forces, these pledges are not credible."
The group said there have been numerous cases of abuse and killings perpetrated by U.S. troops and CIA operatives, including beatings, shooting deaths and deaths resulting from mistreatment.
