Asadullah Haroon, one of the last Afghan detainees, was released from Guantanamo
Guantanamo prison held up to 780 inmates.
AP - Alex Brandon
Text by: RFI Follow
2 mins
Asadullah Haroon was imprisoned in June 2007 in Guantanamo, accused by the Americans of being a commander of the Islamist movement Hezb-i-Islami and a messenger for al-Qaeda.
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After spending 15 years behind bars in
the US military prison at Guantanamo
, Asadullah Haroon, one of the last Afghans detained within these walls, has been released following negotiations between Kabul and Washington, the Afghan government announced on Friday.
A “ direct and positive
”
exchange
His release came after a "
direct and positive
" exchange between the Taliban authorities and Washington, Afghan government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said in a statement.
Today, the ex-detainee is now in Qatar, according to his brother who is in Peshawar, in western Pakistan, where he has refugee status.
“
It's like (the Muslim holiday of) Eid in our house, like a wedding.
These are emotional moments for us
,” Roman Khan told AFP.
“
The charges against him were false and his release proves he was innocent.
But who will give him back these lost years of life?
", he added.
Only one Afghan detainee remains
Accused of being a commander of
the Hezb-e Islami group and an
al-Qaeda
messenger
,
his family recognizes Mr. Haroon's membership in the Islamist movement but denies any link with al-Qaeda.
The Guantanamo Commission released the detainee for his "
non-leadership role in an extremist organization, his lack of a clear ideological basis for his past actions
", as well as "
the regrets he expressed
".
So there is only one Afghan detainee left in Guantanamo.
Muhammad Rahim arrived there in March 2008. He was accused by the CIA of being a close associate of al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden.
In recent years, hundreds of prisoners, including some Taliban currently holding ministerial positions, have been released from Guantanamo.
► To read also: American prison of Guantanamo: 18 years of a continuous legal black hole
(with AFP)
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Justice
United States
Afghanistan
Guantánamo
al-Qaeda