COUNTRY OF ORIGIN INFORMATION REPORT AFGHANISTAN 8 APRIL 2010 AFGHANISTAN 8 APRIL 2010 UK Border Agency COUNTRY OF ORIGIN INFORMATION SERVICE ii The main text of this COI Report contains the most up to date publicly available information as at 18 March 2010. Further brief information on recent events and reports has been provided in the Latest News section to 8 April 2010. 8 ARPIL 2010 AFGHANISTAN Contents Preface Latest News EVENTS IN AFGHANISTAN FROM 19 MARCH 2010 TO 8 APRIL 2010 REPORTS ON AFGHANISTAN PUBLISHED OR ACCESSED BETWEEN 19 MARCH 2010 AND 8 APRIL 2010 Paragraphs Background Information 1. GEOGRAPHY ...........................................................................................1.01 Kabul (Capital city)......................................................................1.09 Maps..............................................................................................1.14 2. ECONOMY ..............................................................................................2.01 3. HISTORY ................................................................................................3.01 Overview to December 2001.......................................................3.01 Post-Taliban (December 2001 Onwards)....................................3.02 Afghanistan Compact 31 January 2006.....................................3.08 Presidential Elections 20 August 2009.......................................3.09 Election results..........................................................................3.17 4. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS ...........................................................................4.01 5. CONSTITUTION .........................................................................................5.01 6. POLITICAL SYSTEM ...................................................................................6.01 Overview.......................................................................................6.01 The Executive Branch..................................................................6.03 The Legislative Branch................................................................6.05 Provincial councils......................................................................6.06 Political parties............................................................................6.08 Human Rights 7. INTRODUCTION .........................................................................................7.01 8. SECURITY SITUATION ................................................................................8.01 Overview.......................................................................................8.01 Security situation in different regions........................................8.13 Kabul City..................................................................................8.13 List of main security incidents in and around Kabul city.............8.18 The West ..................................................................................8.26 Central.......................................................................................8.30 South, South-East and East .....................................................8.32 North, North-East and North-West.............................................8.43 9. CRIME ...................................................................................................9.01 Opium production........................................................................9.03 10. SECURITY F ORCES ..................................................................................10.01 Overview.......................................................................................10.01 Police............................................................................................10.03 Afghan National Police (ANP)...................................................10.03 Structure and reform.................................................................10.05 The main text of this COI Report contains the most up to date publicly available information as at 18 March 2010. Further brief iii information on recent events and reports has been provided in the Latest News section to 8 April 2010. AFGHANISTAN 8 APRIL 2010 Afghan National Guard................................................................10.13 Armed Forces...............................................................................10.14 Afghan National Army (ANA).....................................................10.14 Other Government Forces...........................................................10.18 National Directorate of Security (NDS) (Amniat-e Melli)............10.18 Former security forces – KHAD (KhAD)....................................10.22 International Forces.....................................................................10.25 International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).........................10.30 Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs)..................................10.32 Human rights violations by security forces...............................10.33 Arbitrary arrest and detention....................................................10.33 Torture.......................................................................................10.38 Extrajudicial killings...................................................................10.39 Avenues of Complaint.................................................................10.42 11. MILITARY SERVICE .................................................................................11.01 12. ABUSES BY NON-GOVERNMENT ARMED FORCES ............................................12.01 Overview.......................................................................................12.01 Kidnappings.................................................................................12.03 Warlords and commanders.........................................................12.07 Disbandment of Illegal Armed Groups (DIAG)...........................12.12 Anti-Government and Anti-Coalition Forces (ACF)...................12.14 13. JUDICIARY ............................................................................................13.01 Organisation.................................................................................13.01 Independence...............................................................................13.05 Fair trial.........................................................................................13.07 Code of Criminal Procedure........................................................13.09 14. ARREST AND DETENTION – LEGAL RIGHTS .................................................14.01 15. PRISON CONDITIONS ...............................................................................15.01 16. DEATH PENALTY ....................................................................................16.01 17. POLITICAL AFFILIATION ............................................................................17.01 Freedom of Political Expression.................................................17.01 Freedom of Association and Assembly.....................................17.02 18. FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND MEDIA ...............................................................18.01 Overview.......................................................................................18.01 Media law......................................................................................18.11 Newspapers, radio, Internet and television...............................18.13 Journalists....................................................................................18.20 Night letters..................................................................................18.28 19. HUMAN RIGHTS INSTITUTIONS, ORGANISATIONS AND ACTIVISTS ........................19.01 Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC)....................................................................................19.02 Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs).................................19.05 20. CORRUPTION ..........................................................................................20.01 21. FREEDOM OF RELIGION ...........................................................................21.01 Overview.......................................................................................21.01 Religious demography...............................................................21.06 Legislation....................................................................................21.09 Muslims........................................................................................21.13 Shi’as (Shiite)............................................................................21.13 Ismailis..........................................................................................21.14 Sikhs and Hindus.........................................................................21.15 Christians.....................................................................................21.21 Baha’is..........................................................................................21.25 Religious conversion...................................................................21.27 iv The main text of this COI Report contains the most up to date publicly available information as at 18 March 2010. Further brief information on recent events and reports has been provided in the Latest News section to 8 April 2010. 8 ARPIL 2010 AFGHANISTAN Mixed marriages...........................................................................21.30