HRW urges Afghans to investigate prison death

A human rights group has called on the Afghan government to investigate the death of a suspect who died while being held in prison by the intelligence service, saying his body showed signs of possible torture. Human Rights Watch said in a report seen Wednesday that Abdul Basir, an Afghan citizen, died Dec. 7 in a National Directorate of Security detention facility. According to the report, Basir's family was told he had committed suicide by jumping out of a window. The group said it had photographs of Basir's body that showed possible signs of torture, including small dark circles on his forehead, blackened cuts on his back, bruising in several places and a large cut to his shin. The photos were posted on the group's Web site. Basir's family said he was tortured by the intelligence service during his interrogation, according to the report. Human Rights Watch said it had received reports of others being tortured by the intelligence service as well.