- Title: IRAQ: IRAQI PRISONERS RELEASED FROM ABU GHRAIB PRISON.
- Date: 28th May 2004
- Summary: (W3) ABU GHRAIB, IRAQ (MAY 28, 2004) (REUTERS) 1. GV/GV/PAN: RELEASED PRISONERS IN BUSES TRAVELLING ALONG ROAD UNDER U.S. MILITARY ESCORT PAST CROWD OF CHEERING PEOPLE (3 SHOTS) 1.50 (W2) BAGHDAD, IRAQ (MAY 27, 2004) (REUTERS) (SEE 7700/04) 2. HUSSEIN SHAHRISTANI, WHO REFUSED TO TAKE THE JOB OF PRIME MINISTER IN THE NEW FORTHCOMING CARETAKER IRAQI INTERIM GOVERNMENT, ARRIVING AT NEWS CONFERENCE; REPORTERS 3. (SOUNDBITE) (English) SHAHRISTANI SAYING: "I believe Abu Ghraib should be a monument to what the Iraqis have suffered and how many Iraqi lives were lost in those prisons over three decades. I would like to see the names of all the Iraqis who have been executed at Abu Ghraib to be in stone there for the coming generations to see what we had to go through before we could build a free Iraq." 4. REPORTERS AT THE NEWS CONFERENCE 6. SOUNDBITE) (English) SHAHRISTANI SAYING: "As for the compensation of the victims of the tortures that we have heard about in the last few weeks, I believe it's the right of every individual who have been mistreated to demand compensation for what has happened to him and I do call for a Iraqi court to be established to look at these grievances and decide on the cases." 6. REPORTERS AT THE FRONT OF THE NEWS CONFERENCE Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 12th June 2004 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: BAGHDAD AND ABU GRAIB, IRAQ
- Country: Iraq
- Reuters ID: LVA1LC6L7R1QJESJ6OUPI4LICG2D
- Story Text: Prisoners are released form Abu Ghraib prison and
former prisoner Hussein Shahristani says the jail should be
kept as a memorial to those who suffered and died there,
Iraqi prisoners were released from Abu Ghraib prison
on Friday (May 28). They were driven from the prison in
buses. Hundreds of relatives waited outside the heavily
guarded prison and ran towards the buses as they came out.
In Baghdad on Thursday (May 27) Iraqi human rights
campaigner Hussein Shahristani, turned down an offer by the
United Nations to lead Iraq's new interim government said
that he preferred to help the country through his human
rights work than take part in the new government.
Leaked photographs of U.S. soldiers abusing Iraqi
prisoners Abu Ghraib have triggered investigations and
deeply embarrassed the United States, which promised Iraqis
freedom and democracy after a U.S.-led invasion toppled
former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein last April.
The U.S. is struggling to repair the credibility damage
after the photographs with shocking images ranging from
naked, hooded prisoners piled in a human pyramid to a
female U.S. soldier holding a man by a dog leash.
After Shahristani challenged a call by Saddam Hussein
to develop a nuclear weapon, the physicist spent a decade
in solitary confinement and became very familiar with Abu
Ghraib's torture chambers.
Describing Abu Ghraib prison as a symbol of death and
torture under dictators in an Iraq policy speech on Monday
(April 24), U.S. President George W. Bush said the United
States will demolish Abu Ghraib if the Iraqi government
agrees.
Shahristani said he was deeply concerned by the plan,
saying the prison should stand as a reminder of the
suffering of Iraqis.
"I believe Abu Ghraib should be a monument to what the
Iraqis have suffered and how many Iraqi lives were lost in
those prisons over three decades. I would like to see the
names of all the Iraqis who have been executed at Abu
Ghraib to be in stone there for the coming generations to
see what we had to go through before we could build a free
Iraq."
He said the current Abu Ghraib victims should be
compensated and U.S. soldiers who took part in the abuse
should be tried in an Iraqi court. Six face possible court
martial and one has already been jailed for a year.
"As for the compensation of the victims of the tortures
that we have heard about in the last few weeks, I believe
it's the right of every individual who have been mistreated
to demand compensation for what has happened to him and I
do call for a Iraqi court to be established to look at
these grievances and to decide on the cases," Shahristani
said.
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