Diplomats denied access to aid workers

Diplomats who travelled to Afghanistan last week seeking access to eight foreign aid workers accused of promoting Christianity returned empty-handed to the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, on Tuesday.

The ruling Taliban Islamic Movement of Afghanistan refused the diplomats consular access to the four Germans, two Australians and two Americans being held in two detention centres in the Afghan capital, Kabul, and facing a possible death penalty.

“The Taliban authorities made it quite clear that they did not want the three envoys to stay. We had no success, and our visit has had no impact,” Howard Brown, the Australian High Commissioner in Islamabad, told IRIN on Tuesday.

“We are extremely frustrated, as we have tried all avenues to reach a solution, but have reached a brick wall. We can only hope that by [our] withdrawing the envoys, the Taliban will complete their so-called investigation and release the detainees,” he added.

Brown’s comments came after the Taliban on Monday refused new visas for the diplomats, who were seeking to remain in Kabul after their seven-day visa expired.

The eight foreign nationals of the German-based relief agency Shelter Now International, along with 16 Afghan nationals, were arrested between 3 and 5 August on charges of trying to convert people to Christianity, a charge punishable by death under the Taliban’s strict interpretation of Shari’ah law.

The Taliban has given assurances that the detainees are healthy and in good spirits, but this did not satisfy the three governments whose citizens are being detained.

“We remain extremely concerned over the welfare and safety of the eight detainees, and will continue to impress upon the Taliban authorities - through their representative office here in Islamabad - that they are not abiding by fundamental international consular practices by not allowing us access,” Brown said.

“While we were disappointed that we were unable to gain consular access to the two arrested Americans, we will continue to pursue this matter vigorously,” a US official told IRIN, adding that the US, Australian and German governments would continue to press the case together.

An official at the Taliban’s embassy in Islamabad told IRIN that the envoys would be given visas to return to Afghanistan in due course, but not before the cases of the detainees had been fully investigated.

“The investigation is ongoing and, upon its completion, consular access will be possible,” said Mohammad Suhail Shaheen, Second Secretary at the embassy.

The cases would then be handed over to a court, where a judge would decide the appropriate punishment based on the evidence brought before him, Shaheen added.

He said the investigation should be completed in one or two weeks but warned it could be much longer if additional evidence requiring examination was revealed.

Asked whether the eight still faced the death penalty, he said: “It’s premature to say at this point. Only a judge can say what the punishment should be.”

On 17 August, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan voiced his concern over the continued detention of the aid workers, and appealed to the Taliban authorities for a speedy solution.
“Contrary to customary international law, consular access and legal representation for the detainees have been denied,” Annan said.

“This gives a signal that could have severe consequences on critical humanitarian assistance at a time when Afghans are suffering the combined effects of war, extreme poverty, massive displacement and severe drought,” he added.