OTTAWA - A civilian-run military watchdog has heard that military police had no idea what happened to Afghan prisoners after they were handed over to Afghanistan's notorious security service.
A military police officer told the Military Police Complaints Commission on Tuesday it wasn't part of the job to follow up on Afghan prisoners once they were handed over to the National Directorate of Security.
Sgt. Carol Utton testified to the commission behind closed doors and a transcript of that testimony was released to the media late Wednesday evening.
Utton told the commission she never saw any sign that Afghan prisoners had been abused while in temporary lockup at Kandahar Airfield.
But she says she and her colleagues heard "rumours" the prisoners were being tortured after they were handed over to Afghan authorities, but those rumours likely came from media reports.
The commission has barred journalists, government officials and the general public from sitting in on its proceedings until Thursday.
It is investigating an allegation from Amnesty International Canada and the B.C. Civil Liberties Association.
The groups say Canadian military police did not properly investigate officers responsible for directing the transfer of detainees to Afghan authorities, allegedly at the risk of torture.
Transferring prisoners between countries knowing they likely face torture is considered a war crime.
Diplomat Richard Colvin told a special House of Commons committee last November that the majority of prisoners Canada handed over to the Afghan intelligence service were tortured.
But the Conservative government and military commanders, past and present, deny the allegation.
The commission will listen to 25 people from the Canadian Forces and the Defence and Foreign Affairs departments over the coming weeks.
