Abu Ghraib

Abu Ghraib was one of Saddam Hussein’s most infamous torture chambers, now under the control of the United States Armed Forces.  Abu Ghraib was the prison where interrogation took place, as part of the ‘War on Terror’.

In 2003, as part of a ‘spot check’ of the gaol, The Red Cross observed the isolation wing of the prison, and saw the various methods used in order to gain information and compliance from the prisoners.  The Red Cross saw that prisoners were subjected to empty concrete cells in total darkness, with no clothing or bedding for their comfort or health.  When officials were asked for an explanation of these activities, they replied that it was part of the process[1].  Later on, an army officer who had served in Iraq stated that rather than address these concerns regarding prisoner abuse, the Army instead tried to limit the amount of spot inspections on the gaol, stating that they should make appointments when they wished to visit.

In 2004, the first photos detailing the treatment of Iraqi prisoners were released on CBS TV’s 60 Minutes II[2]. 

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[1] Mark Danner (2004) ‘Torture and Death’ Abu Ghraib: the politics of torture, California: North Atlantic Books, p. 11

[2] ‘Senate Report Update’ 60 Minutes II, 2004, http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=4674645n&tag=mncol;lst;5 (Accessed: 05/06/2012)