Friday, October 31, 2008

Detainees May Go From Frying Pan to Fire

By Ali Gharib and Zainab Mineeia

"WASHINGTON, Oct 30 (IPS) - An estimated 17,000 Iraqis detained in their own country by occupying U.S. forces may soon face transfer into an Iraqi government detention system where reports of abuse and torture are commonplace, says a leading human rights advocacy group.

A Human Rights Watch (HRW) statement Wednesday focuses on the potential for detainee transfers according to the stipulations of the U.S.-Iraqi security deal, a draft of which is currently before Iraq's cabinet and parliament for approval. There are reports this week that the cabinet has decided to reopen negotiations on some aspects.

"Human Rights Watch called on the U.S. government to ensure that detainees are not in danger of being tortured by establishing a mechanism that would provide each detainee with a genuine opportunity to contest a transfer to Iraqi custody, and by verifying the conditions of Iraqi detention facilities to which they could be transferred, through inspections whose results are made public," said the statement...... "

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