Statement Attributable to the Spokesman for the Secretary-General on reported abuses against detainees in Iraq

The Secretary-General was deeply concerned to learn about the reported abuse of a large number of detainees at an Iraqi interior ministry building. The Secretary-General welcomes the immediate investigation announced by Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari yesterday. The Secretary-General also welcomes the Prime Minister's statement that such practices are completely contrary to Iraqi Government policy.

The United Nations has repeatedly expressed concern about ongoing human rights violations in Iraq, and specifically the lack of due process for detainees and abuses against them. Most recently, such concerns were expressed by the United Nations Assistance Mission to Iraq (UNAMI) in its second bimonthly report on the human rights situation in Iraq dated 14 November 2005.