11 February 2010

Iraq: Alkarama calls on U.S. authorities to publish the names of its detainees in Iraq

U.S. authorities announced on 18 December 2009 that they would hand over Al-Tajji detention center, located northwest of Baghdad and currently controlled by the U.S. military, to the Iraqi government as of March 2010.

At the time of the statement, the U.S. occupying forces acknowledged having 6210 detainees, including two minors, 38 officials of the Baath Party and four foreign nationals, without specifying whether the number of prisoners was only limited to Al-Tajji detention center.

The detention center opened in late 2008, and by May 2009 was holding 1439 detainees according the center's commanding officer. Amongst the 1439 detainees, according to an U.S. army General, 281 were detained without evidence. Consequently, the U.S. government admitted to holding 134 foreign nationals, mostly from Arab countries.

Alkarama is astonished that the U.S. authorities have only acknowledged the presence of four foreigners at Al-Tajji detention center - while earlier figures from May 2009 were much higher. It comes as an even greater surprise that sources indicate that a significant number of Arab nationals have indeed been transferred to this center.

The primary concern is that these detainees do not become victims of enforced disappearance when the Iraqi authorities take full control of the detention center in March 2010.

Therefore, Alkarama calls upon the U.S. authorities make public the names of all their current prisoners, domestic or foreign, before they are handed over to the Iraqi government.

Saudi Arabia - HR Instruments

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)

No

Convention against Torture (CAT)

CAT: Accessed on 23.09.1997
Optional Protocol: No
Art. 20 (Confidential inquiry): No
Art. 22 (Individual communications): No

State report: Overdue since 22.10.2006 (2nd)
Last concluding observations: 12.06.2002

International Convention for the Protection of all Persons from Enforced Disappearance (CED)

No

Universal Periodic Review (UPR)

Last review: 10.2013 (2nd cycle)
Next review: -

National Human Rights Institution (NHRI)

No