A field visit to the Iraqi reform office/ women’s central jail
On 8/5/2017 a team of human rights department has visited the Iraqi reform office/ the central prison of women, after checking all of the infrastructures, the prison sectors and the prisoner’s halls to be noticed about their situation, the team right down some notes according to the prison’s act that can be clarified as follows:
1. The prison led by the Iraqi reform office and this matches the provisions of article (1) of the prison administration act.
2. Provisions of department (5) of the prison administration act:
- The capacity: 190
- The total existence of the prisoners on the day of visit: 305
- Convicts: 208
- Suspenders: 97
- Arabians: 5
- Foreigners: 1
- The number of sectors and prison halls: 2 sectors consist of 7 halls
3. Feeding the prisoners according to the provisions of department (8) of prison administration act: After asking the prisoners and affiliates and checking the quality and the quantity of the food that prepared to them and having a copy of the food schedule, the team found that the provider is following the schedule precisely including the quantity and the quality of food, the quality of cooking food was medium. The provider prepares two meals (lunch and supper) at one time because of the security precautions around the prison, the manager confirms that the department management provides (electrical heaters) to the prisoners in a private place out of the halls in order to be able of cooking food up to their desire. The team then visited the shop and viewed the prices of foodstuffs and found that the prices are more expensive than market, Upon inquiry, the workers in the shop confirmed that these prices are agreed between the contractor and the department, the manager confirms that she has approached the public management in order to supply the stuff presented in the shop in a commensurate with the needs of the prisoners.
4. The exposure to sun rays according to the provisions of department (9) of prison administration act: The team noticed that the exposure to sun rays is of one hour a day, due to the momentum in the section and the lack of space, whereas the team asserts the need to take into account the application of the act regarding the solarization.
5. Medical services that provided to the prisoners according to the provisions of department (10) of prison administration act: There is a medical detachment including a female-internist, practicing physician, (4) dentists and a ‘male’ ophthalmologist attends every Wednesday and ‘female’ dermatologist attends every Monday, besides a psychologist attends each two weeks and other employees regarding the ministry of health, note that the detachment suffers a significant shortage of workers, in addition to that there’s a lack of medicine in particular for synchronized diseases. The number of those who affected by synchronized diseases is (151), as for patients of tuberculosis there’re (2) conditions isolated in a health detention room, the team notice that there’s a sonar device without a specialist to work on it, the manager confirms that the prisoner’s children send to Al-idrissi center in order to vaccinate them against diseases.
6. The Separation of the prisoners according to the provisions of department (4) of prison administration act: the central prison of women classified into two sectors, the first specified for the suspenders and the light verdicts (5 years and less), the second sector includes five halls for heavy verdicts and these halls are classified according to the verdicts of the prisoners, one specified for those of integrity issues, the other specified for those of prostitution issues and the last specified for murder issues and there’s a hall for the prisoners along with their children, note that the number of children is (10).
7. Family-visits according to the provisions of department (14) of prison administration act: There are periodic half-monthly family visits to the prisoners both ‘men and women’, The team has visited the location that specified for family visits and explained the need to provide comfortable places and services for prisoner’s families during the interview, especially in the summer because the place of visits is under the influence of the sun, the manager confirms that the department management has approached the public administration and the red crescent committee in order set up a simple roof structures to protect them from the sun rays.
8. Personal hygiene according to the provisions of department (6) of prison administration act: The team notes that there is an interest about Personal hygiene of prisoners as much as possible, and in addition to that the prison classified as one of the cleanest prisons.
9. Training, habilitation and cultural and recreational activities according to the provisions of department (27) of prison administration act : The team viewed the halls that specified for training and habilitation which is a small workshop specified for sewing and includes a number of sewing-machines, another hall specified for shaving, and the last one for educating the prisoners ‘reading and writing’, the team also visited the religious guidance division and met the manager of the division and the staff and heard a brief explanation of the Division's work in guiding and sensitizing the inmates.
