The opposition parties have been going after the government for weeks over allegations that Canadian troops turned over prisoners to the Afghan authorities when they knew or ought to have known that those detainees would be tortured. If so, that would be a clear breach of the Geneva Convention. According to some of these critics most of the detainees were simple farmers who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. The scandal exploded after Canadian diplomat Richard Colvin testified before a parliamentary committee. According to Colvin, he reported this practice to his superiors in the field and to the Canadian government and nothing was done.