Rights commission warns COVID-19 spreading in Iraqi prisons

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Iraqi High Commission for Human Rights on Friday afternoon warned of increasing numbers of coronavirus cases inside the country's prisons and called for immediate measures to curb the spread of the highly-contagious disease in such facilities.

"The commission's monitoring teams in Baghdad and other provinces have reported coronavirus infections among inmates and prison employees," the body said in a statement.

According to the commission's figures, a total of 67 infections have been confirmed in five facilities in the capital. Health officials have also recorded 15 cases in Basra's central prison, including one death, and 12 infections in a Diyala province detention center, the body said.

The number appears highest in Nineveh province, where, the commission said, the number of infections has reached 111, including one death.

The human rights body recommended that the Iraqi government find a solution to prevent the situation from deteriorating any further, as the number of coronavirus cases and deaths due to the disease continues to rise nationally.

The commission statement suggested additional pardons to some inmates as a measure to reduce the prison population and density.

"The Commission stresses that the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Interior apply the precautions required to prevent coronavirus infections and impose an effective control system to ensure the application of these measures," the statement concluded.

Related Article: HRW asks Iraq to reform legislation, take measures against COVID-19 in prisons

Senior Iraqi officials, as well as human rights organizations, have previously called for a blanket amnesty for persons who have been convicted of crimes other than murder and corruption to reduce the prison population and ease preventative measures to curb viral transmission.

Editing by Khrush Najari