Delivered Into Enemy Hands - Human Rights Watch

Afghanistan on April 25, 2004. Both men said they were
not able to shower or bathe during the first several
months of their detention.
“For the first three months we were not able to have any
showers. We could not wash our bodies.” 156 Shoroeiya
said of that same time period, “That whole time we didn’t
even get a drop of water over our body. We couldn’t cut
our hair or even the nails of our fingers. We looked
horrible. We looked like monsters.” 157 After this first
period, they were allowed to shower for 10 to 15 minutes
weekly. They were also allowed some exposure to the sun, for a short period of time,
mostly once a week for the whole year. 158
ble. We looked like
monsters.”
Sharif said sometimes his captors sent him to a cell where his hands were suspended
above his head for significant periods of time. One time this period lasted three days.
During this time he was provided limited sustenance:
They only gave me water once, at night. They gave me a milkshake and a
small cup of milk with cocoa. That was all I had for three days. They banned
me from going to the restroom for those three days. I had to pass urine and
go to the bathroom standing up. I wasn’t wearing clothes. At night, they
gave me some water to drink but poured the rest of it over my body. I was
trying to move to create some warmth in my body. Because of the lack of
sleep for three days, I went hysterical. I thought I was going crazy. Everything
was spinning around me and it was totally dark. 159
156 Ibid.
157 Human Rights Watch interview with Shoroeiya, March 18, 2012.
158 Human Rights Watch interview with Sharif, March 14, 2012.
159 Ibid.
DELIVERED INTO ENEMY HANDS 44
“That whole time we
didn’t even get a drop of
water over our body. We
couldn’t cut our hair or
even the nails of our
fingers. We looked horri