'Iraqi women not mistreated'

Shammari proposes releasing prisoners on bail Baghdad – Jaafar Al Nasrawi Iraqi Justice Minister Hassan Shammari has denied reports of abuse of women in Iraqi jails, in a meeting with Sadrist Movement leader Moqtada al-Sadr on Sunday . Shammari reportedly briefed al-Sadr on “human rights conditions in prisons belonging to the Ministry” on Sunday as the two leaders met in Najaf to discuss the demands of demonstrations currently sweeping Anbar and Nineveh, in particular the demand to release female detainees from Iraqi jails.  “The demands of protestors are not the prerogative of the Ministry of Justice,” Shammari claimed. There are 980 women currently in government custody, with 200 detained on charges of terrorism, the Justice Minister claimed. “The Ministry submitted a proposal to the Committee of Wise Men [National Alliance] to release those in detention on bail conditions costing five million dinars,” Shammari said. “The Ministry has recorded the health conditions of all the inmates prior to detention and taken fingerprints,” the Minister continued, denying charges of sexual abuse alleged in Iraqi prisons. He instead accused “people of trading with people’s reputations for political and electoral purposes." Director of Najaf’s Al-Sadr office Mahmoud Djiashi said during the conference that "the meeting with Minister Shammari handled the files with a  national and humanitarian character.” On January 3 member of the Committee of Wise Men Khalid Al Mulla denied reports of rape of female prisoners, adding that the government would sue broadcasters who promoted “such lies.” Meanwhile Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has announced the formation of a committee of scientists and judges to investigate conditions inside Iraqi prisons to be led by Sunni Mufti Mehdi al-Sumaidaie.