Bob Brown has joined a chorus of critics who have hammered the government after Australian soldiers held a group of Taliban detainees in dog cages overnight.
Defence says the prisoners were kept in dog enclosures, because the group of soldiers had no safer option.
The Government has supported the troops' actions, but Greens leader Bob Brown says it's deplorable.
“For Australia to find itself keeping prisoners in dog kennels, even overnight, is a big mistake,” he said.
“The Australian government needs to give the soldiers in Afghanistan the wherewithal to do better than that – not to be caught in that situation.”
Earlier, Defence officials confirmed that Afghan prisoners were held in dog pens.
"Yes, however this holding area provided the best secure, safe and isolated short-term accommodation until the following day," a Defence spokesman told the Australian newspaper.
However, Islamic decrees warn Muslims against contact with dogs which are regarded as unclean.
Afghan ambassador Amanullah Jayhoon has strongly criticised the use of dog pens for human detention and warned the incident could provide valuable propaganda for the Taliban.
Australia's peak Muslim body the Islamic High Council has expressed alarm at the practice.
"This is of concern to us whether they are Muslim or other people being confined to other accommodation designed for dogs," said Council spokesman Mohamed Mehio.
"This is a matter of human rights."
Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon has denied any wrongdoing by the diggers.
"The detainees were held for 24 hours at this transit facility, which was the time required to arrange appropriate transport to move them to a purpose-built detention facility at Tarin Kowt," he said.