HUMAN rights must be central to any decision about the immediate future for Afghanistan.

Whatever solution is found it should guarantee an immediate end to serious abuses, including torture and unlawful killings by all parties to the conflict.

Religious and ethnic groups should be protected from retaliation and there should be an end to discrimination against women and girls.

There can be no peace without justice. Afghanistan's cycle of abuses will not be stopped without an international effort to end impunity. Perpetrators should be brought to justice through fair trials and without the death penalty.

Amnesty International is deeply concerned at the lifting of the EU embargo on arms and security transfers to the United Front (Northern Alliance), because of its appalling human rights record.

Also the UK has a duty to ensure UK arms do not fall in the hands of those who may use them to commit human rights offences.

Phil Newsham, Group Secretary

Bolton Amnesty International