July 2005 Afghan captive incident

{{Short description|Incident in Uruzgan Province, Afghanistan}}{{Infobox event

| image = Roundel of Afghanistan (2002–2021).svg

| partof = War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)

| venue = Forward Operating Base (FOB) Ripley

| coordinates = {{coord|32|36|50|N|65|52|00|E|region:AF-ORU_type:landmark_source:kolossus-dewiki|display=title,inline}}

| cause = United States military prisoner abuse scandals

| Target =

| reported injuries = 2

| convictions = 2

}}

In October 2005 two soldiers were investigated for beating captives held in Forward Operating Base Ripley (now Multi National Base Tarin Kot), in July 2005, in Uruzgan Province, Afghanistan.

{{cite news

| url=http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/news/2005/11/mil-051117-afps04.htm

| title=Detainee Abuse Charges in Afghanistan Referred to Court-Martial

| publisher=American Forces Press Service

| date=2005-11-17

| accessdate=2010-01-25

}}

{{cite news

|url = http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle.asp?xfile=data/subcontinent/2005/November/subcontinent_November603.xml§ion=subcontinent&col=

|title = Two US soldiers face court-martial for Afghan detainee abuse

|publisher = Khaleej Times

|date = 2005-11-17

|accessdate = 2010-01-25

|url-status = dead

|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20120922061812/http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle.asp?xfile=data%2Fsubcontinent%2F2005%2FNovember%2Fsubcontinent_November603.xml§ion=subcontinent&col=

|archivedate = 2012-09-22

}} The two soldiers were Sergeant Kevin D. Myricks and Specialist James R. Hayes.

{{cite news

|url = http://www.nctimes.com/news/local/military/article_38268b3f-d537-54a1-bdde-2b651381f4d6.html

|title = U.S. military convicts soldier of punching detainees in Afghanistan

|publisher = North County Times

|date = 2006-01-30

|accessdate = 2010-01-25

}}{{dead link|date=November 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

{{cite news

|url=http://www.eurasianet.org/resource/afghanistan/hypermail/200601/0052.shtml

|title=U.S. SOLDIER FOUND GUILTY OF ABUSING DETAINEE IN AFGHANISTAN

|publisher=Eurasianet

|date=2006-01-28

|accessdate=2010-01-25

|url-status=dead

|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080904032210/http://www.eurasianet.org/resource/afghanistan/hypermail/200601/0052.shtml

|archivedate=September 4, 2008

}}

{{cite news

| url=http://english.people.com.cn/200511/17/eng20051117_222066.html

| title=US army in Afghanistan refers alleged detainees' abusers to court-martial

| publisher=People's Daily

| date=2005-11-17

| accessdate=2010-01-25

}}

{{cite news

| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4657978.stm

| title=Court-martial convicts US soldier

| publisher=BBC News

| date=2006-01-28

| accessdate=2010-01-25

}}

{{cite news

|url=http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=World_News&subsection=Philippines+%26+South+Asia&month=January2006&file=World_News20060129783.xml

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304052049/http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=World_News&subsection=Philippines+&+South+Asia&month=January2006&file=World_News20060129783.xml

|url-status=dead

|archive-date=2016-03-04

|title=US soldier jailed for hitting Afghan detainees

|publisher=The Peninsula

|date=2006-01-29

|accessdate=2010-01-25

}}

{{cite news

|url = http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/paperchase/2005/11/two-us-soldiers-face-court-martial-for.php

|title = Two US soldiers face court-martial for Afghan prisoner abuse

|publisher = The Jurist

|date = 2005-11-17

|author = Jeannie Shawl

|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20100204043037/http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/paperchase/2005/11/two-us-soldiers-face-court-martial-for.php

|archivedate = 2010-02-04

|quote = In a separate incident, the Pentagon has said it has completed its investigation into allegations that US soldiers desecrated Taliban bodies in Kandahar. Video of troops burning two bodies and using the charred remains in a propaganda campaign against insurgents was aired on Australian television in October, prompting criticism from the UN. Afghan officials are conducting their own investigation into the incident.

|url-status = dead

}}

{{cite news

|url = http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/paperchase/2006/01/military-trials-begin-for-us-soldiers.php

|title = Military trials begin for US soldiers accused of abusing Afghan detainees

|publisher = The Jurist

|date = 2006-01-27

|author = Krystal MacIntyre

|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20100204043039/http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/paperchase/2006/01/military-trials-begin-for-us-soldiers.php

|archivedate = 2010-02-04

|url-status = dead

}}

On January 30, 2006, Myricks and Hayes were found guilty of one count of conspiracy to maltreat and two counts of maltreatment in the beating of Afghani captives. Myricks was reduced in rank to private, and sentenced to six months imprisonment. Hayes was reduced in rank to private, and sentenced to four months imprisonment.

{{cite news

| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4662890.stm

| title=US soldier guilty of Afghan abuse

| publisher=BBC News

| date=2006-01-30

| accessdate=2010-01-25

}}

David R. Irvine, a former Law Professor and retired Brigadier General compared Myricks sentence for beatings to the lack of charges against commissioned officers in earlier murder incidents.

{{cite news

|url = http://www.globality-gmu.net/archives/1110

|title = Tortured Times for America's Global Standing

|publisher = George Washington University

|date = 2006-03-03

|author = David R. Irvine

|author-link = David R. Irvine

|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20110723135107/http://www.globality-gmu.net/archives/1110

|archivedate = 2011-07-23

|url-status = dead

}}

{{quotation|"That no senior officers have been as severely dealt with as junior enlisted personnel is a travesty. Chief Warrant Officer Welshofer received the merest tap on the wrist for negligent homicide; Major Voss was given immunity from prosecution. Colonel Teeples has a new job as the Executive Assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Three junior enlisted soldiers, convicted for their roles at Abu Ghraib, were imprisoned for ten, eight, and three years—and they didn’t kill anyone. Sgt. Kevin Myricks, convicted of punching detainees in Afghanistan, was recently sentenced to six months’ confinement and reduced in rank to private."}}

According to the BBC News: {{quotation|"The charges against the soldiers came in October, close on the heels of accusations that US forces had burned the bodies of Taleban fighters, an act considered sacrilege in Islam."}}