ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – An Iraqi lawmaker said Saturday that newly released photos by the US from Baghdad’s Abu Ghraib prison, where US soldiers were found to be torturing Iraqi prisoners, are likely to raise the scandal once again in parliament.
Ashwaq Jaf, an Iraqi lawmaker from parliament’s Human Rights Committee, recalled to Rudaw on Saturday that the American rights violations against Iraqi prisoners were first exposed in a draft to the parliament by an Iraqi lawmaker.
“The draft contained several Iraqis complaining against American violations and called for the establishment of special center to deal with complaints,” she said.
The US Department of Defense has released about 200 photos related to the torture of prisoners and detainees in Iraq and Afghanistan. The photos contained of body parts and close up, some with visible torture signs and injuries.
“I believe the release of these new photos will bring the issue into parliament discussion again,” Jaf said. “
She said the issue “was silenced after a while,” but added that the American violations against Iraqi prisoners will possibly be discussed again in the Iraqi parliament because of the new photos.
The Abu Ghraib prison outside Baghdad was taken over by US forces after their 2003 invasion of Iraq, which overthrew Saddam Hussein.
After US forces took over the prison, widespread abuse, torture and humiliation of Iraqi soldiers at the facility were exposed by Amnesty International and The Associated Press.
Twelve US military personnel were convicted in 2005 by an Army courts martial in connection with the case, but the main accused served less than two years in jail for her actions.
Ashwaq Jaf, an Iraqi lawmaker from parliament’s Human Rights Committee, recalled to Rudaw on Saturday that the American rights violations against Iraqi prisoners were first exposed in a draft to the parliament by an Iraqi lawmaker.
“The draft contained several Iraqis complaining against American violations and called for the establishment of special center to deal with complaints,” she said.
The US Department of Defense has released about 200 photos related to the torture of prisoners and detainees in Iraq and Afghanistan. The photos contained of body parts and close up, some with visible torture signs and injuries.
“I believe the release of these new photos will bring the issue into parliament discussion again,” Jaf said. “
She said the issue “was silenced after a while,” but added that the American violations against Iraqi prisoners will possibly be discussed again in the Iraqi parliament because of the new photos.
The Abu Ghraib prison outside Baghdad was taken over by US forces after their 2003 invasion of Iraq, which overthrew Saddam Hussein.
After US forces took over the prison, widespread abuse, torture and humiliation of Iraqi soldiers at the facility were exposed by Amnesty International and The Associated Press.
Twelve US military personnel were convicted in 2005 by an Army courts martial in connection with the case, but the main accused served less than two years in jail for her actions.
Comments
Rudaw moderates all comments submitted on our website. We welcome comments which are relevant to the article and encourage further discussion about the issues that matter to you. We also welcome constructive criticism about Rudaw.
To be approved for publication, however, your comments must meet our community guidelines.
We will not tolerate the following: profanity, threats, personal attacks, vulgarity, abuse (such as sexism, racism, homophobia or xenophobia), or commercial or personal promotion.
Comments that do not meet our guidelines will be rejected. Comments are not edited – they are either approved or rejected.
Post a comment