Topic: 2025 – Treatment of Prisoners
Country: Iraq
Delegate Name: Raksha Karunanithy
Human Rights Council
Treatment of Prisoners
Republic of Iraq
Raksha Karunanithy
Forest Hills Eastern
The treatment of prisoners remains a major global concern, especially in regions recovering from long periods of conflict. According to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), many countries face challenges like overcrowding, limited resources, and damaged infrastructure. Iraq’s prison system relates to these challenges, since the nation has experienced multiple waves of instability, from the 2003 conflict to the war against ISIS. Reports from UNAMI and OHCHR (2023) show that while Iraq has made progress in improving monitoring and justice procedures, the country continues to feel the pressure of handling thousands of detainees connected to terrorism.
The Republic of Iraq reaffirms its commitment to improving prison conditions and protecting human rights, even while dealing with one of the most complicated detention situations in the world. As a signatory to the Convention Against Torture (CAT), Iraq has cooperated with UNAMI, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and other international partners to allow prison monitoring, increase transparency, and develop professional training for staff. However, Iraq believes it is essential for the international community to understand the scale of the challenge it faces. According to government data, Iraq holds more than 60,000 detainees linked to ISIS, including thousands of foreign fighters whose home countries refuse to repatriate them. Unlike countries where prisons hold mostly criminals, Iraq manages extremely high-risk detainees responsible for severe violence and war crimes. These cases require specialized judges, advanced security, and large amounts of evidence collection, which place additional pressure on the legal system. Iraq also has many detention centers that were damaged during the fight against ISIS, forcing the country to rebuild facilities while still handling a massive flow of detainees. Although reforms are being discussed, increasing the number of trained judges, improving prison management, and cooperating with human rights monitors, Iraq stresses that expectations must be realistic. The country strongly believes that state sovereignty must be respected, especially since most terrorism-related crimes were committed on Iraqi land and should be prosecuted through Iraqi courts. At the same time, Iraq acknowledges that some challenges, such as overcrowding and strained resources, cannot be resolved without international support. Iraq, therefore, urges countries to recognize that improving the treatment of prisoners in a post-conflict nation is both a humanitarian responsibility and a shared global security issue. Ultimately, Iraq believes progress depends on cooperation, not criticism.
Iraq supports practical and balanced solutions that address human rights concerns while recognizing security needs. Iraq believes overcrowding should be reduced mainly by curbing the number of people entering the system through faster trials, more legal support, and repatriation of foreign criminals and not only by expanding facilities. Iraq also wants assistance to improve key infrastructure, strengthen staff training based on the Mandela Rules, a set of rules for the treatment of prisoners that set the standard for prison management everywhere, and support rehabilitation programs for detainees. Iraq urges countries to take responsibility for their citizens who joined ISIS, as their refusal to repatriate them places unfair and unsustainable pressure on Iraq’s legal system.
