
Presidium Network
460 posts

Presidium Network
@PresidiumNet
UK non-profit that provides support to communities in crisis to manage humanitarian issues and represent the needs of people affected by violence or poverty.



Mr Cornwell and the three other British Nationals which includes Miles Routledge have been released and have left Afghanistan. They are coming home! Thank you to everyone for their support of these men during this difficult period. We are all relieved.






Over the past few months while extensive dialogue has been ongoing with the IEA, the health of not just Mr Cornwell, but the other British Detainees has deteriorated. Mr Cornwell has had severe and critical health incidents twice. Mr Cornwell is a UN badged employee which affords him additional rights. Our view is that with the massive weight loss of Mr Cornwell, the 11mm kidney stone that he has which infers treatment was not correctly conducted, that he is at risk of death in detention. That the state of detention cannot in any way be qualified as humane, and that the opinion of agencies who conduct medical evacuation is that this should have been done a long time ago. Further, given his health status, that such action was not taken and that the detention is arbitrary, that even in this circumstance such detention is pure politics, and not related at all to the rule of law. The Taliban in light of the health, the use of arbitrary detention can now firmly and clearly be surmised as 'hostage negotiation'. The situation that the Presidium Network presented was firmly presented on the notion of dialogue, and our associates personally expressed the platform of using international law and Sharia Law to spur dialogue to help Afghanistan at UN conferences. The IEA has in no way, shape or form leant forward on a single issue. The IEA has shown no compassion. Presented no evidence to date, and has willingly risked the lives of aid workers, among many others whom they hold in detention. We are fully aware of the surrounding information on the case. The conditions of the men being held are described as "horrendous", and there is no plausible reason to believe that these men will be used as anything other than "hostages". We will now be entering into challenging this as a human rights case, and given the employment and status of Kevin Cornwell, as a UN badged employee, the argument can be made that the form of detention and the method represents an attack on a UN employee permits a universal jurisdiction, and we will also raise the matter of detainees to the International Criminal Court. We acted always in the best interests of Afghanistan as well as Mr Cornwell, we highlighted the risks of detaining aid workers to the IEA directly, that such actions would directly contribute to the retraction of aid, and that such events would occur in August 2023, which is precisely what occurred. Such actions would increase the risk profile (insurance) of aid workers and lead to a reduction of people willing to work in Afghanistan. In official statements from the United States, we have seen that they have stated clearly that the detainment of their nationals has directly impeded international relations. The IEA has not acted in the interests of Afghanistan in handling this matter. We have consistently seen since day one the treatment of Afghans as hostages, and also international workers. This is unsustainable and irresponsible as a proto-nation state. @lynnekodonnell @heatherbarr1 @BBCBreaking @BBCHelena @SkyNews @BBCBreaking




We remain gravely concerned about the status of Mr Cornwell's health. The matter is of significant concern on the base of arbitrary detention, and there are many more people detained than the 4 Britons. The use of arbitrary detention by any nation is an abuse of the rights of individuals, but for a country such as Afghanistan, a nascent government with the challenges Afghanistan faces will lead to greater economic and political isolation. The IEA has had every opportunity to demonstrate dialogue works, and as we come into winter, and the end of the U.S. financial year it will likely be more difficult to find donors for the nation. Should Mr Cornwell, experience another critical health incident, his death would be probable, already after suffering infections, and such a death in IEA custody, with the full knowledge of his health issues would be catastrophic for the position of the IEA in the international community. It would be catastrophic for the role of aid, catastrophic for the attraction of economic activity.


Arbitrary Detention is a violation of the “Universal Declaration of Human Rights” (“UDHR”), under “Article 9”. Arbitrary detention is also a violation of the “International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights”. Arbitrary Detention is considered an unfair and unlawful practice according to the following conventions, thereby demonstrating it is not considered an international norm and is universally represented as a deprivation of basic rights: (1) Universal Declaration of Human Rights International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). (2) Body of principles for the protection of all persons under any form of detention or imprisonment Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners.~ (3) United Nations Rules for the Protection of Juveniles Deprived of their Liberty. (4) United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Administration of Juvenile Justice (“The Beijing Rules”) (5) Convention relating to the Status of Refugees of 1951 (6) Protocol relating to the Status of Refugees of 1967 (7)International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (8) Convention on the Rights of the Child (9) Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment of Punishment (10) International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families (11) Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (12) United Nations Basic Principles and Guidelines on remedies and procedures on the right of anyone deprived of their liberty to bring proceedings before a court (A/HRC/30/37)






