More Than 400 Afghans Wrongfully Imprisoned

A soldier keeps watch outside Kandahar's main jail. (file photo)

KABUL -- A special committee tasked with investigating the status of prisoners at Afghanistan's largest military prison says hundreds of inmates are being held there illegally.

The committee said 433 inmates at the Parwan Detention Center had been jailed despite lack of evidence. It said the prisoners should be released immediately.

The committee said 86 remaining cases have been referred to the Attorney General's Office for further investigation.

Last month, 81 inmates at the facility were released after the committee concluded that the authorities did not have enough evidence to prosecute.

The Parwan Detention Center, formally run by the United States and recently handed over to the Afghan government, holds some 3,000 prisoners.

With reporting by the Afghanistan Times