S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 002367

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/02/2015
TAGS: PHUM PGOV PINR IZ
SUBJECT: JOINT US, UK, DANISH DEMARCHE TO MOI ON PRISONER
ABUSE

REF: A) BAGHDAD 1681 B) REMLER-PILZ EMAIL 6/1/05

Classified By: Classified by David M. Satterfield, Charge d'Affaires, f

or reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (S) SUMMARY. Charge joined British Charge and Danish
Ambassador in a June 1 joint demarche to Minister of Interior
Baqr Jabr on allegations of prisoner abuse in Basrah. UK
Charge provided an intelligence report implicating the Basrah
Police's Internal Affairs Division and Investigations Support
Unit of crimes, including the death of a detainee whom
British and Danish forces had handed over to the police.
Charge, British Charge, and Danish Ambassador expressed grave
concern over the numerous allegations of abuse by Ministry
employees and told Jabr that those found guilty of crimes as
result of transparent investigations and fair trials must be
brought to justice. Jabr reiterated that respect for human
rights is his first priority, said he would not tolerate such
abuses, and promised to launch a public investigation into
the Basrah allegations. END SUMMARY.


2. (S) Charge joined British Charge Tim Torlot and Danish
Ambassador Torben Getterman on June 1 to demarche Minister of
Interior Baqr Jabr on prisoner abuse charges against the
Basrah police. UK Charge outlined the case of Abbas Allawi,
a suspected terrorist whom British and Danish forces had
handed over to the Iraqi Police (IP) in Basrah. While in the
custody of the IP, Allawi, who was reportedly held in an
illegal Ministry of Interior (MOI) facility during his 10 -
13 April detention, was allegedly tortured and beaten to
death.


3. (S) An autopsy performed by the Iraqis as part of an
investigation initiated by the Basrah Governor and Chief of
Police substantiated charges that Allawi was beaten to death.
UK Charge provided Jabr with an HQ 12th Mechanized Brigade
intelligence report that implicates three members of Basrah's
Department of Internal Affairs and Investigations Support
Unit (ISU) of assassinations, kidnappings, intimidation,
bribery, threats against the judiciary, and illegal attacks
against the citizens of Basrah. The report specifically
implicates the ISU's Lieutenant Abbas Munis for the torture

and murder of Allawi. Those three individuals have been
suspended, said UK Charge, and he emphasized that the
investigation into these allegations must continue unimpeded.
The problem, he said, is far more widespread than indicated
in a single report.


4. (S) Grave concerns regarding the Basrah situation, said UK
Charge, extend to MOI as a whole and were the reason for the
joint demarche. He emphasized the importance of
investigating such allegations of abuse, ensuring
perpetrators are tried by a fair and transparent judiciary,
and bringing those found guilty to justice. UK Charge
pointed out that the crimes of corrupt IP are well known on
the streets of Basrah and said the Minister needs to show the
Iraqi people that MOI will treat everyone fairly.


5. (S) The Charge added that such actions do not only affect
the police and prisoners, but the general public as well. He
emphasized that MOI must ensure the fair treatment of all
individuals from arrest to the disposition of a case. Charge
also told Jabr that all MOI prisoner holding facilities need
to be under the proper jurisdiction. (NOTE: Per reftel, MOI
still maintains facilities that belong under Ministry of
Justice jurisdiction per CPA Order 10. END NOTE.) Charge
expressed the highest regard for Jabr's consistent focus on
supporting human rights and said how the Iraqi people and the
world see such cases handled is key to their confidence in
the system.


6. (S) Jabr reiterated what has, thus far, been a consistent
message, identifying respect for human rights as his first
priority. He insisted that such disregard for the rights of
the people would not be tolerated and said he would open an
investigation within the week on the allegations reported by
HQ 12th Mechanized Brigade. Those involved, he said, would
be brought to Baghdad to be publicly investigated and
punished accordingly. However, he cautioned, it would take
time to correct the problems facing MOI regarding human
rights abuses.

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COMMENT
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7. (S) Jabr appeared to be sincere in his insistence that he
would not tolerate human rights abuses by MOI employees,
offering as evidence of his commitment the recent removals of
several high-level MOI officials, to include the Deputy
Minister for Police General Hekmat, who was suspected of
human rights abuses such as the establishment of death
squads. However, increasingly, MOI and its various
components are implicated in human rights abuses, based on
reports of human rights activists, Sunni contacts and media
reports. Clearly, it will be a challenge for Jabr to
implement a change of culture in a system that has previously
not considered the rights of the individual. In the
short-term, however, the question is whether MOI will
actually follow up by investigating the Basrah allegations
and bringing to justice those found guilty of criminal
behavior. END COMMENT.


8. (U) REO HILLA, REO BASRA, REO MOSUL, and REO KIRKUK,
Minimize considered.
Jeffrey