Conservatives want Afghan torture report muzzled

The Conservative government quietly went to Federal Court last week hoping to impose limits on what a military watchdog can say in its yet-to-be-written final report into torture allegations involving Afghan prisoners.

The Winnipeg Free Press:

Ottawa - The Conservative government quietly went to Federal Court last week hoping to impose limits on what a military watchdog can say in its final report into torture allegations involving Afghan prisoners.

The Military Police Complaints Commission is currently reviewing evidence and writing its report after hearings into allegations that army cops turned a blind eye to suspected abuse in Afghan jails.

The government wants to exclude the testimony of diplomats and civilians who did not work for the Defence Department. Its lawyers also want any documents belonging to those officials, including reports that warned of torture or documented the abuse, excluded from the commissions findings.

"They're asking the Federal Court to put a muzzle on the commission," said Paul Champ, the lawyer for both human rights groups.

"They're trying to prevent or curtail the commission's ability to speak about all of the evidence they've heard. Even while the MPCC is deliberating on the evidence they've heard, (the government) is trying to get the court to issue a judgment or an order restricting what the MPCC can say."

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