Over 19,000 People in Iraq Imprisoned on Charges of Ties to ISIS and Extremist Groups

According to estimates by the Associated Press, 19,000 people are imprisoned in Iraq on charges of connections to the Islamic State (ISIS) or other extremist groups, with more than 3,000 of them sentenced to death. The large number of prisoners and rapid trials have raised concerns about a lack of justice, and it is suspected that Iraqi public prisons may have become recruitment grounds for extremist groups and the creation of new terrorist networks. The Associated Press's assessment is based on information provided by an Iraqi official who wished to remain anonymous due to the sensitivity of the issue. A list provided to the Associated Press includes the names of 27,849 prisoners, but it is believed that more have been detained by other agencies, including the federal police, the army's security department, and Kurdish forces. Determining the exact number of prisoners accused of connections to extremist groups is not feasible. From the list provided to the news agency, it can be concluded that 8,861 prisoners have been convicted of terrorism-related crimes since the beginning of 2013. According to a security official in Baghdad, most of these individuals were arrested in connection with ISIS. Another security official stated that about 11,000 others are currently detained by the Ministry of Interior's security department, undergoing interrogation or awaiting trial. These two security officials did not wish to have their names included in the report. Fadel al-Gharawi, a member of the Iraqi Parliament's Human Rights Commission, said, 'The prisons are full of inmates, and Iraq needs more interrogators and judges to handle these cases.' He noted that many cases have been delayed due to a lack of necessary facilities. Between 2003 and 2010, when the Iraqi government and American forces were fighting Sunni insurgents, including al-Qaeda and Shia groups, many militants were detained. At the height of those battles, the U.S. military held about 25,000 prisoners. The list provided to the Associated Press shows that 6,000 individuals who were arrested for terrorism-related actions before 2013 are still incarcerated. However, the recent wave of arrests has become a significant problem for Iraq's judicial system, as most prisoners were previously held by the U.S. military, with the majority released and a small percentage handed over for interrogation and trial in Iraqi courts. Human Rights Watch warned in November that due to the widespread use of anti-terrorism laws by the Iraqi judiciary, there is no distinction between petty offenders and those responsible for the worst human rights violations. This group's assessment indicates that about 20,000 people are imprisoned on charges related to terrorism. Haider al-Abadi, the Prime Minister of Iraq, who is trying to maintain his position in the upcoming general elections, has repeatedly called for the expedited execution of individuals convicted of terrorism-related crimes. Statistics provided to the Associated Press indicate that since 2013, 3,130 people have been sentenced to death for terrorism-related crimes. According to security officials in Baghdad, approximately 250 individuals have been executed for membership in ISIS since 2014, with 100 of these executions carried out last year, indicating a speeding up of these punishments. The United Nations has warned that expediting trials and executions could endanger innocent lives and lead to 'widespread and irreparable violations of justice.' The increase in the number of prisoners is one of the results of four years of war against ISIS. Throughout the war with this group, Iraq has tried thousands of individuals suspected of collaborating with ISIS in special anti-terrorism courts. According to human rights groups and Associated Press journalists, sessions in these courts last more than 30 minutes. Most of these individuals have been tried under anti-terrorism laws, which have been criticized for their ambiguities and broadness.