Some 100 Inmates Go On Hunger Strike At Notorious Afghan Prison

Pul-e-Charkhi, Afghanistan's largest prison, is situated on the outskirts of Kabul.

KABUL -- Officials from Afghanistan's largest prison say some 100 inmates have gone on hunger strike over their alleged mistreatment at the facility.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, an official from the Pul-e-Charkhi prison told RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan on March 15 that the prisoners had sewn their lips and refused food for the past three days.

Inmates at the prison have said they are suffering from overcrowding and malnutrition, and have had their Korans confiscated.

The prison's warden, General Khan Mohammad Khan, denied the allegations.

The notorious Pul-e-Charkhi prison, a high security facility outside Kabul, houses an estimated 3,000 inmates, most of them former Taliban and Al-Qaeda fighters, convicted murderers, and drug traffickers.