Friday, March 02, 2007
Justice Ministry official - Interior Ministry no longer runs prisons
Security
(Azzaman)
There are more than 9,000 detainees in prisons administered by the Iraqi government, according to a senior Justice Ministry official. Bosho Ibrahim, the ministry’s undersecretary, said all the prisoners were detained in the light of arrest warrants issued by Iraqi courts. “There are 9,169 prisoners in jails run by the ministry. Of these, 6,175 have been sentenced for committing different crimes.“We do not detain anyone without an arrest warrant or following a court sentence,” Ibrahim said.
He said the prisons which were previously administered by the Interior Ministry have been turned over to the Justice Ministry. The Interior Ministry had its own prisons where some of the worst reported human rights violations in Iraq took place. But a source, refusing to be named, said the Interior Ministry no longer had prisons of its own.
“The task of the organs of the Interior Ministry is confined to the implementation of court orders and transferring convicted persons to the prisons related to the Justice Ministry,” the source said. Ibrahim of the Justice Ministry said U.S. forces notify the ministry at the end of every month of the number of Iraqis languishing in their jails.
U.S. forces administer their own jails and the Iraqi government has no authority over the prisoners held in them. “The prisons under U.S. Jurisdiction are run by the Americans themselves,” Ibrahim said. Ibrahim declined to say how many Iraqi prisoners were held by the U.S. However, sources said the U.S. was holding without trial more than 13,000 Iraqi prisoners. The Justice Ministry runs 19 prisons in Iraq.
There are more than 9,000 detainees in prisons administered by the Iraqi government, according to a senior Justice Ministry official. Bosho Ibrahim, the ministry’s undersecretary, said all the prisoners were detained in the light of arrest warrants issued by Iraqi courts. “There are 9,169 prisoners in jails run by the ministry. Of these, 6,175 have been sentenced for committing different crimes.“We do not detain anyone without an arrest warrant or following a court sentence,” Ibrahim said.
He said the prisons which were previously administered by the Interior Ministry have been turned over to the Justice Ministry. The Interior Ministry had its own prisons where some of the worst reported human rights violations in Iraq took place. But a source, refusing to be named, said the Interior Ministry no longer had prisons of its own.
“The task of the organs of the Interior Ministry is confined to the implementation of court orders and transferring convicted persons to the prisons related to the Justice Ministry,” the source said. Ibrahim of the Justice Ministry said U.S. forces notify the ministry at the end of every month of the number of Iraqis languishing in their jails.
U.S. forces administer their own jails and the Iraqi government has no authority over the prisoners held in them. “The prisons under U.S. Jurisdiction are run by the Americans themselves,” Ibrahim said. Ibrahim declined to say how many Iraqi prisoners were held by the U.S. However, sources said the U.S. was holding without trial more than 13,000 Iraqi prisoners. The Justice Ministry runs 19 prisons in Iraq.
Labels: Bosho Ibrahim, Justice Ministry, Ministry of Interior, prisons
