US soldier sentenced for prisoner abuse
(AP)
Updated: 2006-01-31 08:44

A U.S. military court in Afghanistan sentenced an American soldier to six months confinement and a reduction in rank after finding him guilty Monday of punching detainees, the military said.

The conviction of Sgt. Kevin D. Myricks came three days after another soldier was convicted for mistreating the same two detainees at a base in eastern Afghanistan in July.

Myricks was found guilty of one count of maltreatment of two detainees and another count of conspiracy to maltreat a detainee. He was reduced in rank to a private and sentenced to six months confinement, a U.S. military statement said.

"The court-martial and subsequent punishment in this case reflects the seriousness with which this command views this incident," Maj. Gen. Jason Kamiya, the U.S.-led coalition's operational commander, said in the statement.

"Incidents of this nature are not reflective of the standards adhered to by this command. We are fully committed to investigating all allegations of detainee mistreatment and will hold accountable those who are found to have acted inappropriately."

Myricks was assigned to Company C, 925th Engineer Battalion, when the incident occurred. He is being held in custody at Bagram Airfield, the coalition's headquarters in Afghanistan, awaiting transfer to Kuwait for detention, the statement said.

The first soldier convicted for the assaults was Spc. James R. Hayes, who was assigned to the same company.

The allegations of prisoner abuse in Afghanistan are not the first.

In 2002, two Afghans held at Bagram died after being beaten. Fifteen soldiers have faced charges for those deaths.

A year later, another Afghan died while being held at a base in southern Helmand province, according to an autopsy report provided by the U.S. Defense Department.