IRAQ: Lawyers accuse government of concealing information about detainees

Source: IRIN News

IRAQ: Lawyers accuse government of concealing information about detainees

BAGHDAD, 19 September 2007 (IRIN) - Lawyers representing
families of Iraqi detainees have accused the government of
concealing information about detainees, including their
whereabouts.

“Hundreds of Iraqis have been detained by the Iraqi police
or army in the past three years and their locations and
conditions are unknown,” Ayad Daraji, a lawyer representing
15 Iraqi families in Baghdad, said.

“There is no evidence as to whether they are alive or not.
Families aren’t allowed to visit them and this raises big
questions about the detainees’ situation,” he said.

The Iraqi Lawyers’ Association (ILA) this week sent a letter
to parliament calling for the identification of locations
where detainees are being held and accelerating their
appearance in court.

-snip-

“The latest figure from Iraqi lawyers in our organisation is
that there are over 1,500 Iraqi detainees held without access
to lawyers and unable to communicate with their families,”
Farouk said.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=74379