NEW YORK, Dec 1: The Human Rights Watch on Saturday reiterated its call to the US government to respect the fundamental rights of individuals detained in connection with investigations into the Sept 11 attacks.

Most of those detained are from the Middle East and South Asia, including 208 from Pakistan. The HRW also criticized new US anti-terrorism measures that authorize military trials of those accused of terrorism, permit prolonged administrative detention without charges, enable the government to monitor communications between federal detainees and their attorneys.

“Washington seems ready to sacrifice basic human rights in its campaign against terrorism in the US,” said Sidney Jones, Asia Director of Human Rights Watch. “Even in the current crisis, the US government has an obligation to protect the rights to freedom from arbitrary detention and to a fair trial, rights possessed by the citizens and non-citizens alike.”

The HRW noted that on Nov 27, US Attorney General John Ashcroft announced that, as a result of the government’s investigation of the Sept 11 attacks, 603 people remain in custody. A total of 93 named persons were charged with federal criminal offences, of whom 55 are in custody. Most of the criminal charges are reportedly minor and not directly linked to terrorism.