As US hands over last prison in Iraq, a glimpse at how detainees lived

The former officials wear civilian clothing rather than the neon yellow outfits of regular prisoners. They’re allowed books, newspapers, television news channels such as BBC Arabic, and the US-funded Iraqi Al-Hurra, as well as sports and movie channels. They get together a couple of times a week. Some grow vegetables.

“The new guys that are moving in are not quite the same kind of people ... so you can’t have a garden, you can’t have these tools,” says Cannon, who is part of the Michigan National Guard’s 46th Military Police Command.

Concerns about human rights, justice delays, and corruption

Iraqi justice officials say the detainees under the jurisdiction will be treated humanely and with respect. But human rights is widely seen as a foreign-imposed concept and, with many having very personal reasons for hating the former regime, there are few expectations that the former members will be given the same treatment as they have received in US custody.

In fact, despite the Abu Ghraib scandal over US abuse of prisoners, most Iraqis have come to see US detention as safer and more merciful, and fear that prison torture could widen as US involvement diminishes.

There’s also international concern about why the justice system has taken so long to decide the cases of former regime officials.

Some detainees are either fearful – or hopeful – that their case could be influenced by bribery, which is prevalent in the Iraqi justice system. “They know they can’t bribe us – it’s not going to work, but once they get into their system the options open up,” says Cannon.

But there’s little danger of them escaping in the meantime, says Cannon, who meets the detainees regularly.

“They’re older guys, they’re more stately guys.... They’re not going to be trying to climb the fence.”

Related:

• In Iraq, US hands over Tariq Aziz, other Saddam Hussein-era officials
• As US troops leave, Iraqis fear prison torture will widen
• In Iraq's prisons, a culture of abuse

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