Iraq to Repatriate 6,000 Foreign Prisoners to Their Home Countries

Democrata

Prisoners at an Iraqi prison cell.

Iraq has begun repatriating around 6,000 foreign prisoners from 61 countries as part of efforts to reduce overcrowding in correctional facilities, a spokesman for the Federal Ministry of Justice said.

"The ministry is currently working to activate diplomatic procedures in cooperation with relevant authorities and to open channels of cooperation with Arab and foreign countries to which approximately 6,000 inmates belong,” ministry spokesperson Ahmed Laibi told the state-owned al-Sabah newspaper.

Laibi said most of the prisoners were Syrian nationals and that their repatriation was being carried out in accordance with international agreements.

He said the Ministry of Justice had established communication channels with Syria, Morocco, the United States, Canada, Russia, Tunisia and Türkiye to facilitate the transfer of prisoners.

According to Laibi, the prisoners will serve the remainder of their sentences in their respective countries or in accordance with judicial agreements between Iraq and the countries concerned.

He described the repatriation programme as the most appropriate solution to reducing prison overcrowding and improving the management of correctional facilities in line with applicable laws.

Laibi’s remarks come as Iraq continues to hold foreign nationals convicted of various offences in its correctional facilities, placing additional pressure on prison capacity.

According to the Ministry of Justice, Baghdad's Al-Karkh Central Prison has been allocated to accommodate around 6,000 foreign convicts.

A significant number of the foreign prisoners are affiliated with ISIS, most of whom were transferred from Syria following a security breach at ISIS detention facilities in January. Baghdad had previously agreed to receive around 5,700 inmates from Syria.



PUKMEDIA