Basra: Human rights groups in Basra are demanding swift solutions to the overcrowding of prisons and detention centers. The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Basra called for an end to overcrowding in prisons and detention centers, warning of its health and security consequences.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, Office Director Mahdi al-Tamimi expressed concern over the situation, stating that the office has repeatedly called for swift solutions to this problem, as it contributes to the spread of diseases, increases the number of deaths, and can sometimes lead to riots and instability. Al-Tamimi highlighted a recent incident involving the death of a detainee at al-Hadi police station. The detainee, born in 1970, was being held under Article 443 of the Iraqi Penal Code.

Al-Tamimi added that there is coordination between the Office of the High Commissioner and the Human Rights Department of the Ministry of Interior in Basra, and they are awaiting the forensic report to determine the true cause of death. He explained that the preliminary report indicated the detainee suffered from acute respiratory distress and had asthma, while the final cause of death remains contingent upon the results of the forensic report.

The Basra Governorate Police Command clarified today that the detainee at Al-Hadi Police Station suffered a health crisis due to bronchial asthma and was transferred to the hospital to receive the necessary medical care, but he passed away as a result of his condition.