April 11 (The Killid Group) – The Amnesty International in a statement has urged the Afghan government to prioritize women prisoners in efforts to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a statement, the Amnesty International reiterated that “immediate steps” must be taken to implement President Ghani’s decree to release inmates in a bid to control the spread of the disease, calling on government authorities to prioritize women.
The statement further read that prisoners in overcrowded detention facilities without access to adequate health aids are at high risk of infection with coronavirus.
“Ten days have passed since Afghanistan’s President ordered the release of prisoners and nothing has happened, said Biraj Patnaik, South Asia Director at Amnesty International.
It comes as according to the fresh data provided by the Afghan health ministry, at least 555 people have been infected with the virus, mostly in the western Herat province.
The western province of Herat, is the epicenter of the COVID-19 crisis, followed by Kabul, the capital.
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