11.03.2008 - Source: US Department of State

Professionalisation of police and army forces continues; internal and external monitors helped to prevent abuses; human rights training as a regular element for police and army personnel ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2007") [ID 23287]

"The government continued to develop and professionalize its army and police force. Increased oversight of police by internal and external monitors helped to prevent abuses, and human rights training became a regular element for police and army personnel. The Ministry of Interior (MOI) continued rank and pay reform efforts and removed officers involved in human rights violations and high-level corruption. International human rights groups stated that extensive reporting of human rights abuses led to increased arrests and prosecutions of abusers."

Document(s): Open document

12.2007 - Source: UN High Commissioner for Refugees

Development of the Afghan National Police (ANP) challenged by several factors such as low pay, corruption, political interference, lack of discipline, training and equipment ("UNHCR's Eligibility Guidelines for Assessing the International Protection Needs of Afghan Asylum-Seekers") [ID 22548]

"Efforts to train and deploy Afghan National Police (ANP) forces have intensified, as the need is acute and the existing force lacks training, equipment, and strong command and control structures. An in-depth reform of the existing structure and expansion have been under way and, according to the Ministry of the Interior, as of March 2007, some 61,879 personnel have been assigned to the ANP. The reform of the ANP began with the selection of senior officers and provincial chiefs of police. While the overall exercise was completed without major complications, fourteen individuals (some with links to criminal and illegal armed groups and with a record of human rights violations) were appointed despite failing the selection process. Following concerns expressed by the international community, they were, however, put on probation and, in January 2007, all but three were removed from office. Challenges to creating a more professional police force remain as factors such as low pay, political interference, lack of discipline among officers and rampant corruption continue to plague the ANP’s development."

Document(s): Open document

12.2007 - Source: UN High Commissioner for Refugees

Establishment of temporary auxiliary police forces in insurgency-affected provinces; they are under the control of the Ministry of Interior and their job is to support the permanent police force ("UNHCR's Eligibility Guidelines for Assessing the International Protection Needs of Afghan Asylum-Seekers") [ID 22549]

"On 16 August 2006, President Karzai announced that locally recruited temporary auxiliary police forces would be established to strengthen Afghanistan’s permanent police force. The overall strategy was to integrate the auxiliary police forces into a unified chain of command and control of the Ministry of Interior. The programme was initiated in six priority insurgency-affected provinces: Farah, Ghazni, Helmand, Kandahar, Uruzgan and Zabul. It was subsequently extended to the provinces of Herat, Kunar, Laghman, Logar, Nangarhar, Nuristan, Paktya and Paktyka. Although the aim was to train and deploy 9,063 auxilliary policemen by 1 May 2007, only 3,212 had been trained, equipped and deployed, by June 2007."

Document(s): Open document

11.2007 - Source: Austrian Centre for Country of Origin and Asylum Research and Documentation

Illegale und willkürliche Verhaftungen, Haftverlängerungen und Folter durch die Polizei sind verbreitet ("11th European Country of Origin Information Seminar; Vienna, 21 - 22 June 2007; Country Report; Afghanistan") [ID 21955]

"Illegal and arbitrary arrest as well as prolonged detention are common. There is no writ of habeas corpus. There are frequent credible reports of torture by police and National
Directorate of Security (NDS). There is no effective oversight of investigation procedures or detention facilities and conditions. People in “opposition” they are likely to be arbitrarily
detained and tortured if returned."

Document(s): Open document

08.06.2007 - Source: Washington Times

More than 200 police officers killed in Taliban attacks since late March 2007; police need more financial and technical support to combat Taliban insurgency ("Taliban strikes kill police at record rate") [ID 20289]

Document(s): Open document

02.06.2007 - Source: BBC News

Jaghori: Five members of the family of an Afghan police commander are killed in a Taleban raid in Ghazni province, officials say ("Raid kills Afghan police family") [ID 20287]

Document(s): Open document

04.12.2006 - Source: UN Security Council

Afghan National Police not appropriately structured given current level of conflicts, insecurity and criminality ("Report of the Security Council mission to Afghanistan, 11 to 16 November 2006 [S/2006/935]") [ID 18609]

"state of the Afghan National Police. The President faulted Afghanistan’s international partners for inadequate and belated efforts to develop the Afghan President Karzai and other Afghan interlocutors expressed frustration with the National Police, a failure which he claimed was partly to blame for the insecurity on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. The Minister of Interior, Zarar Ahmad Muqbil, observed that the Afghan National Police had been designed to provide public order in peacetime and was no longer appropriately structured given current levels of conflict, insecurity and criminality. Proposals had been made to the international community to support expansion of the Afghan National Police to meet the latest challenges of insurgency and deteriorating security in some regions. The mission visited the Provincial Reconstruction Team in Qalat, Zabul Province, where it was briefed on the importance of strong recruitment, vetting and monitoring procedures for the new Afghan National Auxiliary Police. The Afghan National Auxiliary Police was intended to provide both enhanced community policing and facilitate local job creation. The Minister of Interior emphasized the importance of creating an ethnically balanced force with no ties to former commanders or illegally armed groups."

Document(s): Open document

26.11.2004 - Source: UN General Assembly

Report focused on political developments, security situation (disarmament, demobilization and reintegration, police and justice reform) human rights situation, health and nutrition, voluntary repatriation and reintegration ("Report of the Secretary-General on the situation in Afghanistan and its implications for international peace and security - Emergency international assistance for peace, normalcy and reconstruction of war-stricken Afghanistan A/59/581 S/2004/925") [#27496],  [ID 2203]

"23. Training, staffing and sustaining an effective police force is a vital element of assuring security and the rule of law in Afghanistan. This task, undertaken under the lead of Germany, has proved to be challenging. The existing police force continues to suffer from a lack of well-trained officers, appropriate equipment and effective command structures. A number of important initiatives were taken to address these concerns. Five regional training centres were established across the country, in addition to the German-supported Police Academy and the United States-led Central Training Centre in Kabul. As of mid-October, 2,624 personnel had been trained at the Kabul Police Academy. These included 1,831 non-commissioned officers, of which 55 were female, and 752 border police. In addition, 27,200 police received basic police training through United States Government-supported programmes. The projected strength of the police force is 50,000, plus 12,000 border guards.
24. At the Doha conference on police reconstruction, held on 18 and 19 May 2004, co-hosted by the Governments of Afghanistan, Germany and Qatar and the United Nations, participants pledged $350 million for police programmes over the next few years. The UNDP-administered Law and Order Trust Fund for Afghanistan (LOTFA), which pays for police salaries and equipment, currently suffers from a financing shortfall of $72.6 million.
25. The Afghan police force proved itself during the electoral process despite its limited means. Police, who were provided with specific electoral training, accompanied registration teams to ensure their security and provide order during registration. Police also guarded polling sites on election day and, along with the Afghan National Army, formed the first line of defence against those who might have attacked the election process."

Document(s): Open document

11.2004 - Source: Danish Immigration Service

National Security Directorate shall now be controlled by Ministries of the Interior and Defence ("The political conditions, the security and human rights situation in Afghanistan; Report on fact-finding mission to Kabul, Afghanistan 20 March – 2 April 2004") [#27424],  [ID 959]

"The Norwegian Chargé d’Affaires was not aware of any details regarding the present intelligence services in Afghanistan, but said that a large security service exists.
The CCA informed that they did not have any knowledge as to whether the NSD is guilty of infringements to the same extent as the former intelligence services in Afghanistan. However, they could not exclude that offences are committed by the present security services. The source explained that the security forces have changed. They no longer act as an independent unit that is both executive and judiciary like earlier. The Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Defence will, according to the organization, now get involved in the decisions of the NSD."

Document(s): Open document

21.09.2004 - Source: UN General Assembly

UN Independent Expert receives numerous reports on torture in secret detention centres run by NSD ("Report of the independent expert of the Commission on Human Rights on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan A/59/370") [#28465],  [ID 960]

"Security service detentions and detention by the police
63. The independent expert has received reports of serious violations, such as torture committed in secret detention centres run by NSD, and has notified the Attorney-General."

Document(s): Open document

19.03.2004 - Source: UN General Assembly

Insufficient number of trained and well-equipped police remains obstacle to expansion of government authority ("The situation in Afghanistan and its implications for international peace and security A/58/742–S/2004/230") [#20724],  [ID 2204]

"[...] 25. At present, a total of 4,339 police officers, including border police have been trained through the German Police Programme and United States training programmes. In Kabul, the German Police Programme is overseeing the training of 1,500 officer cadets and 500 border police at the Kabul Police Academy. Police instruction is now being conducted by Afghans, following the completion of the training-of-trainers programme. In spite of this effort, an insufficient number of trained and well-equipped police in the provinces has consistently been identified as one the major obstacles to the expansion of government authority. To redress this shortfall, seven regional police training centres are being established by the United States and are expected to be operational by the end of March. It is expected that 8,000 non-commissioned officers and 12,000 patrolmen will have been trained in the centres by the end of June. The German Police Programme has assigned trainers to the German provincial reconstruction team in Kondoz and Herat for officer instruction and will eventually deploy to all teams. [...]
Whereas donors have made available most of the financial needs for the Afghan budget year 1382 (March 2003-March 2004), there is a serious funding gap for the upcoming year, which will need to be addressed by the donor community. [...]"

Document(s): Open document
Open document

03.12.2003 - Source: UN General Assembly

Ministry of Interior establishing a professional 50,000-member national police service and 12,000-member border guard ("Report of the Secretary General on the situation in Afghanistan and its implications for international peace and security (A/58/616)") [#18064],  [ID 2205]

"25. Among Afghan security institutions, the Ministry of Interior has implemented the most far-reaching reforms. In response to the 6 April 2003 presidential decree, the Ministry has begun reorganizing its internal structure and devised a five-year plan for establishing a professional 50,000-member national police service and 12,000-member border guard (authority for the border guard was transferred from the Ministry of Defence to the Ministry of Interior in January 2003). The training of the police officer corps, as well as specialized units, is being conducted by the German Police Support Project. Since May 2003 the United States of America has run a complementary programme to train police instructors and upgrade the skills of officers currently serving in the Kabul police force. The Ministry of Interior also established an autonomous human rights unit in April 2003. This unit has followed up on over 70 cases of alleged human rights violations by law enforcement officials since the end of May.
26. The transfer of responsibility for national corrections services from the Ministry of Interior to the Ministry of Justice is ongoing. The Judicial Reform Commission is carrying out a survey to determine which corrections facilities should be upgraded to meet minimum international standards. On 17 May a two-year agreement was signed by the Ministry of Justice and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime on the reform of the penitentiary system in Afghanistan.
27. Funding for police sector reform, including the payment of police salaries, is being carried out through the Law and Order Trust Fund for Afghanistan, administered by the United Nations Development Programme."

Document(s): Open document

12.2003 - Source: Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit

Police reform severely affected by factionalism ("Ending Impunity and Building Justice in Afghanistan (by Rama Mani)") [#18195],  [ID 2206]

"[...] The process of police reform, conducted under German leadership and with a substantial American role is also severely affected by factionalism. The faction leaders and commanders who seized power
in late 2001 also took control of police stations and in most cases installed commanders loyal to them as police chiefs. Trained policemen, who had served under previous administrations, were called back to their jobs by the ATA, but few of them hold senior posts and most serve under former mujaheddin commanders who lack qualifications for the positions of police chief. Many police stations also took on several ‘askars’ (rank and file soldiers who fought with the mujaheddin) to serve under the qualified police officers. Thus despite the presence of trained police serving in mid-ranking posts in police
stations, both the leadership and the rank and file are comprised of recent combatants, most of whom remain affiliated with and loyal to their
commanders.
German and American police trainers emphasise the clear distinction between the police function of protecting the law and maintaining internal
security in society, and the military function of defending the country against external threats. In interviews with police chiefs, including former
mujaheddin, this distinction was often repeated. In spite of this training, the police forces in most provinces cannot be clearly distinguished from the military as former combatants control police stations and numerous armed men, with an assortment of uniforms, roam the streets without any clear indication of whether they represent the police, army or private militias. [...]"

Document(s): Open document

25.09.2003 - Source: Integrated Regional Information Network

EU sees police reform as a key element to the stability of Afghanistan and pays wages for training ("EU to assist paying police wages") [#16308],  [ID 2207]

Document(s): Open document

14.09.2003 - Source: ReliefWeb

New police academy is set to open in November in Gardez, others planned next year in Mazar-e-Sharif, Kunduz, Bamyan, Jalalabad and Herat ("New measures in Afghanistan aim to promote law and order, UN reports (UN News Service)") [#16123],  [ID 2208]

"Speaking to reporters in Kabul, Manoel de Almeida e Silva reported that a new police academy is set to open in November in Gardez, with others planned next year in Mazar-e-Sharif, Kunduz, Bamyan, Jalalabad and Herat. "The courses are aimed at existing policemen who have had little or no previous police training and cover the democratic principles of policing, human rights and basic law as well as policing techniques such as arrests," he said.

In addition, Afghan police officers have begun a three-year forensics training programme. Over 80 participants will learn how to detect forgeries and conduct DNA and blood analysis."

Document(s): Open document

23.07.2003 - Source: UN General Assembly

Decree mandating a new structure for the Ministry of the Interior and the establishment of a national police service consisting of 50,000 police officers and 12,000 border guards ("Report of the Secretary-General on the situation in Afghanistan and its implications for international peace and security A/57/850–S/2003/754") [#14760],  [ID 2209]

"30. On 6 April 2003, President Karzai issued a presidential decree mandating a new structure for the Ministry of the Interior and the establishment of a national police service consisting of 50,000 police officers and 12,000 border guards. The new structure separates the provincial administration of the Ministry from the police, establishes a clear chain of command for all police forces down to the district level, and consolidates responsibility for all policing functions under the Ministry of the Interior. The Ministry has devised an ambitious five-year framework for creating the national police service. Later this month, the first non-commissioned officers will graduate from the one-year training course run by the German Police Support Project. To complement the German project, on 18 May the United States launched a “training-of-trainers” programme in Kabul for 100 Afghan police trainers, who will be deployed to the provinces to conduct two-month training courses. A two-week transitional training course for 200 Kabul police officers began on 28 June. Since last year, UNDP has been contributing towards police salaries through the Law and Order Trust Fund, which is funded through both the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund and donor sources. The Law and Order Trust Fund is seriously underfinanced and donor contributions are urgently needed. Of the $120 million requested, donors have pledged only $40 million. The amount actually paid into the Fund is significantly lower. Without these funds, essential equipment cannot be provided and salaries cannot be paid. These conditions impair the ability of the police to carry out their responsibilities and increase incentives for corruption.
31. On 30 April 2003, the autonomous Human Rights Department of the Ministry of the Interior was inaugurated. The structure of the Department will be replicated within every provincial police department and, once implemented, is expected to serve a “watchdog” function within the national police structure, following up on reports of abuse by police. The Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission is supporting the new department by temporarily lending staff and organizing human rights workshops for police.
32. On 31 March, President Karzai issued a decree transferring responsibility for corrections services from the Ministry of the Interior to the Ministry of Justice, setting a deadline of three months. Although the transfer is under way, several issues relating to the transfer of assets and funds have yet to be finalized. It is expected that corrections reform should accelerate following the signing on 17 May of an agreement between the Ministry of Justice and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime for a two-year programme on reform of the penitentiary system in Afghanistan."

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Open document

03.07.2003 - Source: Christian Science Monitor

Afghan officials say donor countries are reneging on promises to aid the police force ("Cops go crooked in Kabul as pay and training lag") [#14203],  [ID 2210]

Document(s): Open document

01.07.2003 - Source: Amnesty International

Ein weiter Weg (Autorin: Annette Wulf) ("Ein weiter Weg (Autorin: Annette Wulf)") [#14352],  [ID 2211]

Document(s): Open document

07.06.2003 - Source: Institute for War and Peace Reporting

Afghan interior minister undercut the authority of a powerful police official, Din Mohammad Jurat, who was in charge of the Department for National Public Security ("Senior Police Official Ousted") [#13913],  [ID 2212]

Document(s): Open document

11.03.2003 - Source: Amnesty International

Amnesty International: Despite good intentions, police lacks capacity to protect human rights; wide-spread pattern of abuse, including torture, arbitrary arrest and extortion ("Afghanistan: Police reconstruction essential for the protection of human rights") [#11344],  [ID 2213]

"Many police officers interviewed by Amnesty International talked of the police force’s role as“the ensurers of public security”, working “to serve the people”. However, there is a widespread lack of public faith in the police and, unless the problems highlighted in this report are addressed quickly, this will deepen, despite the good intentions of some police officers around the country.[...]
Amnesty International has documented a widespread pattern of human rights violations committed by members of the police, including torture and arbitrary arrest. Extortion is commonly practised by police officers. Human rights abuses by both state and non-state actors have also been documented. These will continue to be carried out with impunity in the absence of a functioning justice system. [...]
The police in Afghanistan do not have the capacity to protect human rights. This report documents the problems facing the police, leaving them ill-equipped to carry out a policing role that upholds international standards. The report starts by looking at the legal framework for the police in Afghanistan. It continues with a focus on police training, resources and equipment, and accountability, before describing some of the human rights violations committed by some members of the police."

Document(s): Open document
02646afgh.pdf

07.03.2003 - Source: Institute for War and Peace Reporting

IWPR: Conflict over ethnic composition of police in Kabul ("Hazara Clash with Police") [#11318],  [ID 2214]

"Most of the city's police force are ethnic Tajiks, former members of the Northern Alliance.

Conflicts and allegiances have shifted frequently in the past two decades of civil war, but Hazara in some parts of Afghanistan, especially in Kabul, retain their bitter memories of numerous fallouts with the Tajiks during the mujahedin era of the early- to mid-Nineties.

The densely populated district has been a high-crime area for the past year. Police finally set up a separate post here two weeks ago, but residents complain that they've done nothing to stop the criminals.
[...]
Local residents said they wanted to have Hazara officers when the new police station was built two weeks ago. Asmatullah, 18, who has a tailoring shop in the area, told IWPR, "All the police of the area should be Hazaras because they know each other well."

But Haroon Asifi disagrees with such demands. "The system won't work if Uzbeks are only allowed to police Uzbek areas, Pashtuns Pashtun areas or Tajiks Tajik areas. Our police take orders from the government, and if someone has any complaints against an officer we fire him.""

Document(s): Open document

07.03.2003 - Source: Danish Immigration Service

DIS: Total police force in Afghanistan today include about 75,000 persons, of which nearly half (35,000) are trained police officers ("The Political, Security and Human Rights Situation in Afghanistan: Report on fact-finding mission to Kabul and Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan and Islamabad, Pakistan; 22 September - 5 October 2002") [#11326],  [ID 2215]

"A project worker attached to the German police training programme in Kabul said that since its start in April 2002, between 120 and 130 police officers have been trained under this programme, all being senior staff at the Police Academy in Kabul. The German project is not involved in working out the police practices, but is only giving advice and providing training. Currently, 1,500 new police officers are being recruited, and are to be trained under this programme. They will receive 1 year of training, whereas high-ranking police officers, lieutenants and commissioners will have three years of training. According to the source, the training in Afghanistan takes place according to German guidelines and UN standards.
The source said that the police in Afghanistan are following old laws dating back to the time of Daoud23, as no new decrees have been issued by Karzai relating to police operations. According to these laws, the police may hold persons for up to 5-6 days for interviews, before the person arrested is brought before a judge and transferred to a regular prison. The project worker associated with the German police training programme further said that the total police force in Afghanistan today include about 75,000 persons, of which nearly half (35,000) are trained police officers, with the balance (40,000) being conscript soldiers, who have only had limited training. About 65,000 of this force are based in the provinces, where they are controlled by the local governor. It is also up to the local governors to decide who should attend the German training programme in Kabul.
The coordinator of the International Human Rights Law Group said that there is no police force as such in the province. In Mazar-i-Sharif, Herat and Kandahar, where there is some form of police corps, the police officers belong to the local warlords' people."

Document(s): Open document

05.03.2003 - Source: Medica Mondiale

The police force is popularly believed to comprise a large percentage of illiterates, plus uncountable amounts of semi-literates and brigands ("Trapped by Tradition - Women & Girls in Detention in Kabul Welayat") [#14380],  [ID 2216]

"The police force is popularly believed to comprise a large percentage of illiterates, plus uncountable amounts of semi-literates and brigands (in rural areas former military factional fighters were not disarmed but merely converted to act as police). In some areas of Afghanistan, because women are forbidden to have contact with men outside their family, an accused woman’s own father or brothers are currently used to arrest her. Although estimates by researchers put an appropriate number of women in a nation-wide police force between 40,000 and 70,000, there are only about 35 women in the Kabul police training school at present. Without large numbers of well-trained women in the police, most women in Kabul and elsewhere, will not be able to come forward to report crimes."

Document(s): Open document

05.03.2003 - Source: Medica Mondiale

Lack of confidence in the force and many people hesitate to report crimes ("Trapped by Tradition - Women & Girls in Detention in Kabul Welayat") [#14380],  [ID 2217]

"There is a great lack of confidence in the force and many people hesitate to report crimes sharing the common belief that the police, if not immediately involved in committing the crime, will at least use the opportunity to abuse, threaten and extort. The police are believed to use torture, threats or extortion in Kabul to extract confessions, and they are also known to temporarily imprison and brutalize those who come to them to report crimes. Members of the police force are alleged to be involved in crime and are abusers of men/boys currently kept in detention in Welayat, including as alleged sexual abusers in at least two cases of minors who later killed police."

Document(s): Open document

11.07.2002 - Source: UN Security Council

UN Secretary-General: New Afghan police force ("The situation in Afghanistan and its implications for international peace and security [A/56/1000–S/2002/737]") [#49253],  [ID 2218]

"27. Regarding the creation of a new Afghan police force, Germany, as lead nation, has been making progress. A total of 82 officers have so far completed the “train the trainers” course. These newly appointed police trainers are scheduled to begin training 3,200 officers in the first week of August. Also, India has agreed to train an additional 220 officers in specialized areas, including investigation techniques, logistics and personnel management. To ensure that the police do not operate in a legal vacuum, however, it is important that the new Judicial Commission expeditiously formulate its programme, and that the Transitional Administration translate that programme into specific reforms."

Document(s): Open document