Afghanistan: Detainees assisted as harsh winter arrives
Helmand provincial prison in Lashkar Gah, AfghanistanTrucks carrying humanitarian assistance items are offloaded with the help of detainees. During November, 1,000 detainees and 200 guards benefited from such deliveries.CC BY-NC-ND / ICRC / Norimasa Tochibayashi
Helmand provincial prison in Lashkar Gah, AfghanistanPrison guards check all the materials before they are distributed.CC BY-NC-ND / ICRC / Norimasa Tochibayashi
Balkh provincial prison in Mazar-i-Sharif, AfghanistanDeliveries of essential materials are made at Balkh provincial prison in Mazar-i-Sharif, aiding nearly 900 detainees and 88 guards.CC BY-NC-ND / ICRC / Farshad Usyan
Mazar-i-Sharif, AfghanistanDetainees queue to receive their winter clothing in Mazar-i-Sharif.CC BY-NC-ND / ICRC / Farshad Usyan
Pul-i-Charkhi prison in Kabul, AfghanistanBlankets are carried to cell blocks in Pul-i-Charkhi prison in Kabul.CC BY-NC-ND / ICRC / Olivier Moeckli
Pul-i-Charkhi prison in Kabul, AfghanistanAid items are handed out to detainees in Pul-i-Charkhi prison.CC BY-NC-ND / ICRC / Olivier Moeckli
Pul-i-Charkhi prison in Kabul, AfghanistanDetainees with some of the essential aid delivered to Pul-i-Charkhi prison, where over five days in November more than 9,000 detainees and 1,400 prison staff received assistance.CC BY-NC-ND / ICRC / Olivier Moeckli
Pul-i-Charkhi prison in Kabul, AfghanistanAn ICRC delegate checks that every detainee in Pul-i-Charkhi detention centre has received the basic items they need to see them through the winter. This also brings the opportunity to briefly discuss other problems the detainees may have.CC BY-NC-ND / ICRC / Olivier Moeckli
Ahead of the fast-approaching harsh Afghan winter, through November and December to date nearly 35,000 detainees and more than 3,600 prison staff in 88 places of detention across Afghanistan have received blankets, warm clothing and other daily essentials.
As many Afghan prisons lack proper heating systems, the blankets and clothing will provide much-needed warmth, while basic hygiene items such as towels, soap, toothbrushes and toothpaste and detergent will help to make day-to-day life more bearable.
Pictured are ICRC distributions made to three places of detention: Pul-i-Charkhi prison in Kabul and the provincial prisons in Helmand and Balkh.
