Tunisian inmate dies in Iraqi prison

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Iraqi authorities on Sunday announced the death of a Tunisian inmate in a prison south of the country.

The 69-year-old prisoner--only identified by the initials M.A.L and held at al-Hout Prison--died after he was transferred to Nasiriyah Hospital due to "kidney failure," a police source said.

The number of prisoners in al-Hout Prison is three times its capacity, at a time when humanitarian organizations are complaining of chronic neglect in providing health care and when the COVID-19 pandemic remains a serious threat.

The source told Kurdistan 24 that the Tunisian prisoner was serving a life sentence convicted on terrorism-related charges. No further details were immediately available.

According to local media, the body was transferred to the forensic medicine department and indicated that the body will be handed over to his relatives after completing the legal procedures.

In the past few months, a number of inmates have died in the same prison from causes that local authorities say are related to chronic conditions.

Since early this year, Iraqi authorities have carried out a number of death sentences against people convicted on terrorism-related charges and criminal offenses in al-Hout Prison.