Reply #11: So what does Amnesty want the U.S. to do: run Iraq's prisons? [View All]

[ProSense]

No doubt, Bush created a mess, but we can't withdraw, turning the country over to the Iraqis, and run Iraq's prisons at the same time. The report clearly shows that the transfer took place:

US forces, in preparation for their planned withdrawal from Iraq at the end of 2011, have since the beginning of 2009 been releasing detainees or transferring them to the custody of Iraqi authorities. They had held around 23,000 detainees in mid-2007, the majority without charge or trial. Most of these have now been released or transferred to Iraqi-run prisons. The US military in Iraq has also transferred control of prisons and detention centres to the Iraqi government. The last prison to be transferred from US to Iraqi control was Camp Cropper near Baghdad International Airport, which at of the end of June 2010 held around 1,900 detainees. The transfer took place on 15 July 2010.

<...>

Amnesty International is issuing this report at a crucial point for Iraq. At the time of writing, in mid-July 2010, US forces were finalizing the transfer of all but 200 detainees they held in Iraq to the custody of the Iraqi authorities amid widespread fears of relatives about what will happen to the detainees after transfer. It was also a period of growing fears by Iraqis linked to the March 2010 general elections which resulted in political uncertainty as protracted postelection negotiations between the main parties had yet to agree a new government. For the many thousands of detainees who have been stuck for months or years in poor detention conditions with no idea of how long they will be denied their liberty, the need for tough safeguards to protect them from torture and continuing arbitrary detention is of paramount importance.

Actually, the report condemns and makes recommendations to Iraq, but also makes the following recommendations to the U.S.

TO THE US GOVERNMENT

• Ensure that no one at risk of torture and other ill-treatment or other grave human rights violations is transferred to Iraqi custody.
  
  
• Ensure that those sentenced to death will not be transferred to the Iraqi authorities.
  
  
• Ensure that all detainees who have already been transferred to Iraqi custody are not tortured or otherwise ill-treated; that allegations of torture are investigated; and that victims are provided with reparations.
  
  
• Ensure that detainees have regular access to legal counsel and that their places of detention are inspected by the Iraqi Human Rights Ministry and the ICRC.

PDF