[01 Jan 2014] US alarmed over Afghan prisoners release - English
Bagram Jail is still packed with hundreds of prisoners. Some of these cells are being controlled by US forces and some by Afghans. And now these...
Bagram Jail is still packed with hundreds of prisoners. Some of these cells are being controlled by US forces and some by Afghans. And now these men are reviewing the files of each prisoner there. They are members of a three-panel commission appointed by President Hamid Karzai. So far, they have met 764 prisoners and investigated their cases. And 650 of them have been let go.
Others have been found innocent too. They will be released soon. It may be good news for their families, but not for the US military men. They want this move to be blocked. An American military official has been quoted as saying \"These guys are tied directly to killing and trying to kill our forces and Afghan forces\". He also called it an issue of deep concern. And here is how the Afghan commission reacted to their concerns. The main dispute is over 88 inmates. Americans think they will soon return to the battle field and fight back. The move also comes as the relations between President Karzai and White House are already at very low ebb since Karzai refused to let American forces stay beyond 2014. Now, how will this latest dispute unfold, remains to be seen. U-S and Afghan officials have different views on the status of prisoners in Bagram Jail. Afghan government says the prisoners are innocent and there is no evidence to prove that they are terrorists. But the U-S military insists that these prisoners are very dangerous people. And the issue comes at a very sensitive time in relations between Kabul and Afghanistan.
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[01 Jan 2014] Washington irate by Kabul-s decision to release more...
More tension in US-Afghanistan ties. Washington wants Kabul to halt the release of prisoners from a jail that was handed over to Afghan officials...
More tension in US-Afghanistan ties. Washington wants Kabul to halt the release of prisoners from a jail that was handed over to Afghan officials recently.
The Bagram prison north of Kabul has been holding hundreds of prisoners for years. They were detained while the facility was under the American control. But the US ceded its control to the Afghans after several years of delay. Now, the Afghan government wants to free 88 prisoners there. It follows the release of at least 600 and fifty inmates. Kabul says it\\\'s found insufficient evidence to continue their detention. But Washington is angry about this, saying the prisoners pose a serious security threat. The row comes at a time when relations between the two sides are at a new low. Ties have grown strained particularly over President Hamid Karzai\\\'s refusal to sign a security deal to keep US troops in Afghanistan after 2014.
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[14 Jan 2014] Washington reacted to israeli minister comments who...
Washington has reacted to comments by an israeli minister who insulted the US secretary of state a little earlier.
This, after the Israeli...
Washington has reacted to comments by an israeli minister who insulted the US secretary of state a little earlier.
This, after the Israeli minister of military affairs said that John Kerry\'s plan for the so-called peace talks between Tel Aviv and the Palestinians Authority was not worth the paper it was written on. Now the US State Department says that Moshe Yaalon\'s comments are offensive and inappropriate. According to Israeli media reports, Yaalon has also, during private conversations, implied that Kerry is a nuisance, by saying that he should take his Nobel prize and leave us alone. The remarks have drawn angry reactions from Israeli officials and the opposition, who say such tongue-lashing comments could destroy Tel-Aviv\'s relations with Washington. Israel\'s Environmental Protection minister has gone beyond that by calling on the prime minister to fire Yaalon and ministers who are in line with him. Kerry\'s proposal for the so-called peace process include a security plan for the Jordan Valley in the West Bank. Under the plan, Israeli forces must withdraw from the Valley - - a proposal Tel Aviv is opposed to.
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[01 Jan 2014] The US calls on Afghanistan not to release 88 prisoners...
The Bagram prison north of Kabul has been holding hundreds of prisoners for years. They were detained while the facility was under the American...
The Bagram prison north of Kabul has been holding hundreds of prisoners for years. They were detained while the facility was under the American control. But the US ceded its control to the Afghans after several years of delay. Now, the Afghan government wants to free 88 prisoners there. It follows the release of at least 6-hundred and fifty inmates. Kabul says it\'s found insufficient evidence to continue their detention. But Washington is angry about this, saying the prisoners pose a serious security threat. The row comes at a time when relations between the two sides are at a new low. Ties have grown strained particularly over President Hamid Karzai\'s refusal to sign a security deal to keep U-S troops in Afghanistan after 20-14.
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[03 Jan 2014] A group of US lawmakers visit Kabul to pressure the Afghan...
After a meeting with Hamid Karzai in Kabul, a group of American senators, including John McCain and Lindsay Graham, said they expect the agreement...
After a meeting with Hamid Karzai in Kabul, a group of American senators, including John McCain and Lindsay Graham, said they expect the agreement to be signed soon. They have also noted that such a failure would pose a threat to Afghanistan and the region. Karzai has so far delayed signing the accord with the United States. The Afghan president says he won\\\'t sign any agreement that allows continued raids on Afghan homes. Without a signed deal, all U-S and NATO forces would have to withdraw from Afghanistan. The U-S-led foreign forces are blamed for many civilian deaths in the country. The senators have also warned Karzai about the release of 88 Bagram prisoners in north Kabul. Afghanistan says it\\\'s found insufficient evidence to continue their detention. But, Washington says the prisoners pose a serious security threa
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[02 Jan 2014] US senators warn Afghan pres. against failure to sign...
A group of US lawmakers have warned the Afghan president against a failure to sign a bilateral security deal.
After a meeting with Hamid Karzai...
A group of US lawmakers have warned the Afghan president against a failure to sign a bilateral security deal.
After a meeting with Hamid Karzai in Kabul, a group of American senators, including John McCain and Lindsay Graham, said they expect the agreement to be signed soon. They have also noted that such a failure would pose a threat to Afghanistan and the region. Karzai has so far delayed signing the accord with the United States. The Afghan president says he won\'t sign any agreement that allows continued raids on Afghan homes. Without a signed deal, all U-S and NATO forces would have to withdraw from Afghanistan. The US-led foreign forces are blamed for many civilian deaths in the country. The senators have also warned Karzai about the release of 88 Bagram prisoners in north Kabul. Afghanistan says it\'s found insufficient evidence to continue their detention. But, Washington says the prisoners pose a serious security threat.
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[12 Feb 2014] Afghanistan govt. about to release dozens of inmates from...
The Afghan government is about to release dozens of inmates from Parwan detention center north of the capital Kabul. Officials say 65 inmates will...
The Afghan government is about to release dozens of inmates from Parwan detention center north of the capital Kabul. Officials say 65 inmates will be set free within the next 24 hours. The government says it does not have enough proof to keep the inmates behind bars. But the United States has already voiced concern over the release of the prisoners. U-S military officials say some of the prisoners are dangerous criminals who have links to al-Qaeda militants. Washington also says their release could pose a security threat to the future of Afghanistan. The U-S handed over control of Parwan prison to Afghan forces back in March 20-13.
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[31 Jan 2014] Pentagon chief warns Kabul against - English
The Pentagon chief has warned Afghanistan against what he termed as foot-dragging on the Bilateral Security Agreement with the US.
Chuck Hagel...
The Pentagon chief has warned Afghanistan against what he termed as foot-dragging on the Bilateral Security Agreement with the US.
Chuck Hagel says the Afghan president\'s deferring risks leaving Washington no time to plan its post-combat mission there. The US defense secretary admitted however that Hamid Karzai was the elected president of a sovereign nation, and Washington\'s ability to influence the decisions he makes, is limited. US-led forces are due to withdraw from Afghanistan by December 2014. But the security agreement under negotiation would allow for a contingent of American troops to remain on the ground. Washington wants its soldiers to enjoy immunity from Afghan law under the deal. However, Karzai has adamantly refused that condition, saying his successor should make the final decision after the presidential election on April 5.
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[29 Jan 2014] The Debate - Fuelling the Carnage (P.1) - English
As if the Syrian talks in Geneva did not face enough challenges, a new one came into the picture, when US Congress approved continued support for...
As if the Syrian talks in Geneva did not face enough challenges, a new one came into the picture, when US Congress approved continued support for what it called moderate Syrian rebels, raising the question again about a good and a bad terrorist. It also upped the bar on what type of aid: previously from non-lethal like night goggles, to small arms, as well as some more powerful weapons, such as anti-tank rockets. In this edition of the debate, we\'ll ask doesn\'t this contradict the United States\' role as a sponsor of the peace talks?
Guests:
- National Coordinator, A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition, Brian Becker (WASHINGTON).
- Senior Fellow, Center for American Progress, Lawrence Korb (WASHINGTON).
Subjects:
1. From non-lethal aid, like nigh vision goggles and army uniforms, to a variety of small arms, as well as some more powerful weapons, such as anti-tank rockets.
- Funded by the U-S Congress, in votes behind closed doors, through the end of government fiscal year 2014, which ends on September 30: THAT MEANS FOR THE NEXT 8 MONTHS.
- Also the issue that arms may fall into the hands of \"bad terrorists\", something US experienced in Afghanistan, Iraq and in Syria.
2. What about the good terrorist/bad terrorist scenario: this differentiation just can\'t apply, especially to the terrorists inside Syria, which the US calls the moderate Syrian rebels?
3. American military aid, now with explicit congressional approval: Doesn\'t it contradict the United States\' role as a sponsor of the peace talks? Whatever happened to US Sec. of State John Kerry saying repeatedly that there is no military solution?
- Russia is working with the US to find a political solution, and suddenly US arms supplies, which contradicts the initiative
4. On terrorists: John Kerry said during opening of Geneva talks: in reference to the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad: \"The Assad regime is a magnet for terrorists. The regime\'s brutality is the source of the violent extremism in Syria today: Is the US completely turning a blind eye to Saudi Arabia\'s support for terrorists?
5. Timeline: Beg. Dec.: the US and Britain announced that they had suspended non-lethal aid: Why? Reports that their aid supplies could end up in hostile hands. Then in late December, reversed that decision: Yet US Congress \"secretly\" approved sending small arms, as well as some more powerful weapons, such as anti-tank rockets, also in Dec.: the US was not telling the truth, or given that this was done in secret, did not want it to be made public?
6. On the Syrian talks in Geneva: According to the divided opposition: the Syrian delegation has accepted the establishment of a transitional government body for the first time: Were it true, how what are the chances for the divided opposition to accept the govt. red line: Assad\'s departure?
7. Syria\'s divided opposition criticized a document presented by the Syrian govt which presented a statement of principles, calling for Syria \'s sovereignty to be respected, rejecting \"foreign interference\" and \"terrorism.\"?
8. Are we looking at u-turn from Turkey on Syria: AS we speak, PM Erodogan is in Iran holding talks with Ian\'s leader, its pres. and FM?
9. What may have happened if Iran was present?
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[16 July 2012] Palestinians rally to demand release of prisoners - English
[16 July 2012] Palestinians rally to demand release of prisoners - English
Palestinians in Gaza held a large rally in front of the office of the...
[16 July 2012] Palestinians rally to demand release of prisoners - English
Palestinians in Gaza held a large rally in front of the office of the international committee of the Red Cross.
They demanded the immediate release of all Palestinian prisoners, especially administrative detainees and those who have been on hunger strike for many weeks.
Among the protestors were former detainees who were released in a prisoner exchange deal between Hamas and Israel in late 2011.
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[25 July 2012] Morsi orders release of political prisoners - English
[25 July 2012] Morsi orders release of political prisoners - English
It has become a tradition set in Egypt that at the beginning of the holy...
[25 July 2012] Morsi orders release of political prisoners - English
It has become a tradition set in Egypt that at the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan every year, the president announces a pardoning of prisoners. This year the newly elected president Mohamed Morsi issued a decree ordering the release of 572 civilians convicted in Military prisons.
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[30 Dec 2013] Palestinians gather at Erez crossing as israel prepares to...
Hundreds of Palestinians have gathered at the Erez crossing with Israel as Tel Aviv prepares to release 26 Palestinian prisoners.
The release,...
Hundreds of Palestinians have gathered at the Erez crossing with Israel as Tel Aviv prepares to release 26 Palestinian prisoners.
The release, expected in a few hours, is the third of four planned stages. All 26 of the Palestinians have spent between 19 and 28 years in Israeli prisons. 18 are from the occupied West Bank, three from the Gaza Strip, and five from East Jerusalem al-Quds. Last summer, Israel agreed to release a total of 104 long-serving Palestinian prisoners. The deal was made during the US-brokered direct talks between the Israelis and the Palestinian Authority. Despite the latest release, thousands of Palestinians are still incarcerated in Israel -- and many of them have not even been charged with any offense.
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[27 Oct 2013] israel approves release of 26 inmates in coming days -...
Israel approves the release of 26 Palestinian prisoners under the terms of the renewed so-called peace talks with the Palestinian Authority. The...
Israel approves the release of 26 Palestinian prisoners under the terms of the renewed so-called peace talks with the Palestinian Authority. The released inmates are considered the second group of prisoners discharged since August. Israeli prison authorities say the inmates will be released at least 48 hours after their names are published. Tel Aviv had said 104 Palestinians would be freed in stages following the start of negotiations on July 30. An Israeli official claimed last week that the move was linked to a deal with the Palestinian Authority in exchange for continued settlement construction in the occupied territories. But the PA has vehemently denied the allegation, saying the construction activities seriously threaten the so-called peace talks, that resumed in July after a three-year halt.
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[03 Nov 2013] Afghan lawmakers oppose a security deal with Washington -...
A group of Afghan lawmakers oppose a possible security pact with the United States.
They say the deal is against the interests of Afghan people...
A group of Afghan lawmakers oppose a possible security pact with the United States.
They say the deal is against the interests of Afghan people and will cause more bloodshed. Washington is pressing Kabul to sign a security pact that allows US troops to stay in Afghanistan beyond 20-14. But the two sides are still at loggerheads over several issues. Meanwhile, Afghan protesters have rallied in the eastern Kunar province to show their anger at US night-time raids and drone strikes. Protesters say the attacks only target civilians. A foreign ministry spokesman has also voiced Kabul\'s opposition to the strikes.
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[24 Feb 2014] Islamic Jihad campaigns for release of Palestinian...
Palestinian Islamic Jihad Movement has held a sit-in in front of the office of the International Committee of the Red Cross in solidarity with...
Palestinian Islamic Jihad Movement has held a sit-in in front of the office of the International Committee of the Red Cross in solidarity with thousands of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli detention centers.
The sit-in came when families of prisoners and detainees were holding a weekly meeting inside the ICRC office. Islamic Jihad has been spearheading the campaign to garner support for prisoners mainly the sick ones and those on hunger-strike. The PIJ has planned several activities for the coming weeks to draw attentions to the suffering of prisoners who are languishing inside Israeli jails.
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