Kabul inquiry finds evidence of prison torture

KABUL (AFP) - An official investigation into torture in Afghan prisons has found widespread abuse, President Hamid Karzai said on Sunday, following a UN report into the problem.

"According to the report of the commission of inquiry, half of the prisoners interviewed complained of mistreatment, harassment and even torture during their detention," the president's office said in a statement.

It described prisoners' access to lawyers as "problematic", but made no conclusions or recommendations.

Mr Karzai ordered the probe after the United Nations issued a damning report in January citing evidence of frequent abuse in the country's prison system.