[JURIST] The UN's independent expert on human rights in Afghanistan, Cherif Bassiouni [DePaul University faculty profile] says he has received reports of torture and other abuses by US and Afghan forces in Afghanistan. In a report of his own released Thursday Bassiouni said he has been told that security agencies in the nation engage in arbitrary arrests and detentions, and often torture detainees. His report also alleges that human rights violations are occurring at the hands of unregulated foreign private security contractors, inadequately trained police, and regional warlords. Afghan officials have cooperated with both the UN and Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission [official website] in their investigations, but neither organization has been granted access to US detention facilities in the area. US-based Human Rights Watch issued a statement [text] Wednesday urging the UN to strengthen its monitoring of human rights in Afghanistan. AP has more.