A/HRC/19/58
Reply from the Government
326. The Government replied to the general allegation on 19 July 2011.
327. Regarding the allegation that a secret detention site was located in one of the Ministry
of Justice’s detention facilities at Camp Justice, known as Justice 2, the Government
responded that Justice 2 is under the authority of the Iraqi Department of Corrections in the
Ministry of Justice and is subject to regular periodic visits by prisons and detention centres
inspections teams from the Ministry of Justice. With regard to Camp Honour, the Iraqi
Ministry of Justice officially declared that the camp would be closed in mid-May of this
year. The High Council of the Judiciary has confirmed that Camp Honour detainees were
relocated to [other] sections of the Iraqi Department of Corrections by means of a phased
transfer, rather than a simultaneous transfer.
328. The Government noted that its Ministry’s annual reports pointed to shortcomings in the
prisons and detention centre and indicated that there was overcrowding. The Ministry
recommended that the situation should be tackled by expediting the cases of detainees and
avoiding prolonged periods of detention.
329. With regard to the allegation that another secret prison was being run by the 54th
Brigade, with the assistance of the 56th Brigade, in the old Muthanna airport in Western
Baghdad, the Government noted that its teams frequently visit the 54th Brigade site at AlMuthanna military airport and have not found any secret prison there. The Government
indicated that it was informed by the administration that the 56th Brigade’s policy is to
transfer persons detained by members of the Brigade immediately to its detention centre.
330. In conclusion, the Government stated that its Ministry plays a positive role in the
monitoring and documentation process with regard to alleged or observed violations. The
Government shared with the Working Group statistics for 2008, 2009 and 2010 on the
outcomes of actions taken in relation to acts of torture, indicating actions taken, in addition
to follow-up actions with the judicial authorities and the administrations of prisons and
detention centres.
Information from the Government
331. The Government submitted two communications dated 15 March and 11 November
2010, which were not reflected in the 2010 annual report (A/HRC/16/48).
332. In the first communication, the Government provided information on 16 outstanding
cases. Based on this information, the Working Group decided to apply to six-month rule to
nine cases at its ninety-fourth session. Concerning one case, the information provided was
considered insufficient to lead to its clarification. The remaining six cases had been
previously clarified by the source. In this communication, the Government also provided
information with regard to the processing of cases of enforced disappearances of Iraqi
nationals and non-nationals under the former regime.
333. In the second communication, the Government provided information on one case
which had previously been clarified by the source and provided a copy of the instrument of
accession to the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced
Disappearance.
334. During the reporting period, the Government transmitted one communication dated 19
July 2011, replying to a general allegation transmitted on 4 May 2011, concerning the
existence of secret detention facilities in Baghdad.
73
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