VZCZCXRO5118
OO RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHDH RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHGB #2714/01 2810727
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 080727Z OCT 09
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5001
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 002714 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
JUSTICE FOR JJONES, ANORMAN, TBARTLETT, BSWARTZ 
STATE FOR NEA/I, INL/I 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV KJUS IZ
SUBJECT: DISTURBANCE AT BAGHDAD CENTRAL PRISON LEADS TO 
ACTIVATION OF CHAMCHAMAL PRISON. 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: In the aftermath of a disturbance 
at Baghdad Central Prison (formerly Abu Ghraib) on 
September 10, the US Embassy and MNF-I facilitated 
the Ministry of Justice,s transfer of 2,630 inmates 
and 273 Iraqi Correctional officers (ICOs) to the 
recently completed USG funded Chamchamal Prison in 
Sulaymaniyah.  Despite the successful activation of 
Chamchamal Prison, the ICS still faces challenges 
in fully receiving support services from the GOI 
for sustained, normal operations.  END SUMMARY 
 
------------------------------------- 
Rioting Closes Baghdad Central Prison 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) The disturbance at Baghdad Central Prison 
(BCP) began about noon on September 10, 2009, when 
a team of ICOs initiated a contraband inspection of 
the cells.  As the ICOs confiscated cell phones and 
other contraband, the inmates became agitated and 
forced the ICOs from the cellblocks under threat of 
attack.  Within two hours the situation deteriorated 
and inmates began burning several sections of the 
facility.  The warden requested assistance from the 
Iraqi Army (IA) to quell the disturbance.  Internal 
and external security was subsequently provided by 
the IA and the IA and the prison,s ICOs regained 
control of the situation.  The Director General of 
Corrections reported that BCP was back under control 
but not before numerous inmates and ICOs suffered 
injuries.  In the early hours of September 11, inmates 
began to riot again and took over the facility.  The 
Deputy Director General of Corrections (DDG) arrived 
at the prison offered to hear the prisoners grievances, 
but only after they returned to their cells.  Once 
the prison was under control again, the ICS transferred 
approximately 1,600 inmates to several ICS prisons 
in the Baghdad area. 
 
¶3. (SBU) According to the Deputy MOJ, 15 ICOs were 
injured and 5 were hospitalized during the riot. 
He also knew that 4 inmates were injured but there 
may have been more.  No deaths were reported. 
(COMMENT: There was no confirmation of these numbers 
until many of these inmates were transferred to Rusafa 
Prison Complex where ICITAP corrections advisors were 
able to assess the condition of 998 inmates. Thirty-six 
inmates were evaluated by ICS medical staff.  All had 
non-life threatening injuries: 10 suffered indirect 
gunfire wounds from ricochets, 12 sustained cuts from 
sharp objects, and 14 had minor injuries. END COMMENT) 
 
¶4. (SBU) COMMENT: The GOI reopened Baghdad Central 
Prison (BCP), run by the Iraqi Correctional Service 
(ICS) in the Ministry of Justice, on November 28, 
2008 with the first transfer of 87 post-trial inmates. 
The prison was renovated, staffed, and activated 
entirely by the ICS without any USG support.  The 
activation of BCP demonstrated ICS capacity to develop 
plans and programs for their prisons. END COMMENT 
 
----------------------------- 
Developing a Remediation Plan 
----------------------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) Minister of Justice (MOJ) Dara Noor Al Deen 
and Deputy Minister of Justice Posho Ibrahim met with 
Embassy Rule of Law (ROL) staff on September 12 to 
discuss the situation.  The MOJ advised that the ICS 
had transferred approximately 1600 inmates to other 
ICS prisons, and requested USG assistance in 
transferring the remaining 1,050 inmates to coalition 
facilities.  Due to the imminent closure of Bucca and 
the lack of available beds at the Taji and Cropper 
facilities, ROL recommended the MOJ activate Chamchamal 
Qfacilities, ROL recommended the MOJ activate Chamchamal 
Prison.  The MOJ agreed and requested assistance in 
transferring the remaining 1,050 inmates still in 
BCP. (COMMENT: Chamchamal Prison, located in 
Sulaymaniyah Province, is a 32 million dollar Bureau of 
International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL) 
funded prison construction project built to expand 
prison bed space in Iraq.  The project was completed 
and turned over to the GOI in March 2009. END COMMENT) 
 
¶6.  (SBU) On September 13, the MNF-I Deputy Commanding 
General, TF-134 Commanding General and ROL met with 
the Deputy MOJ, who requested that all of the BCP 
 
BAGHDAD 00002714  002 OF 002 
 
 
inmates (approximately 2,630) be transferred to 
Chamchamal Prison by USG forces.  At that time, 
there were over 2,600 BCP inmates housed in four 
separate ICS prisons in Baghdad that coalition forces 
agreed to transfer to Chamchamal. 
 
----------------------------------------- 
Emergency Activation of Chamchamal Prison 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Significant coordination between the ICS, 
ICITAP, and Task Force 134 was required to begin the 
inmate and ICO transfers to Chamchamal.  The ICS 
Deputy Director General (DDG), who negotiated with 
the BCP inmates during the uprising, led the initial 
ICO transfer to Chamchamal.  The first US military 
aircraft dedicated to the activation mission departed 
BIAP with the DDG and 41 ICOs from Baghdad on September 
17 to Sulaymaniyah Airport where the ICOs were then 
bused to the Chamchamal prison.  Utilizing two flights 
per day over two days, coalition aircraft moved 243 
ICOs to Chamchamal.  Inmate transfers on US military 
aircraft began on September 19.  Coordinating with 
the Ministry of Transportation for use of buses, the 
ICS began scheduling inmates for transfer to BIAP 
for loading onto military aircraft.  The ICS first 
bused inmates from BCP, followed by the remaining 
inmates originally from BCP who were moved to three 
other ICS prisons in the Baghdad area.  On September 
26, the final group of BCP inmates were transferred 
and received at Chamchamal Prison.  A total of 2,630 
inmates and 273 ICOs were transferred over 10 days of 
flights provided by the USG. 
 
¶8.  (SBU) For several months, an INL-funded ICITAP 
Corrections Advisory Team had been on site at Chamchamal 
with approximately 20 ICOs in anticipation of the 
activation of the facility.  The Corrections Advisory 
Team helped to prepare the ICS staff for the receipt 
of the BCP inmates.  The emergency activation was 
challenging not only in the movement of staff and 
inmates, but also in activating, opening and developing 
support services for the new Chamchamal prison. 
 
¶9.  (SBU) Due to the lack of an activation budget, 
the ICS was ill-prepared to receive inmates at Chamchamal. 
There were few inmate care items, but in daily meetings 
with TF-134, ICITAP management raised these items 
(mattresses, clothing, and personal hygiene items) for 
possible resolution.  Over a seven day period, USG 
military forces were able to assemble and provide 12 
CONEX containers of inmate care items for Chamchamal to 
provide all basic care items for inmates by September 25. 
 
------------------------------------------ 
Challenges Ahead: A Test of ICS Capability 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶10.  (SBU) There are still several major challenges at 
Chamchamal Prison to ensure fundamental support and to 
establish a normal routine for a correctional facility. 
The DDG is on site in Chamchamal working with the 
Chamchamal Directorate of Electricity to connect the 
facility to the local electrical grid.  Meanwhile, the 
prison is receiving power from four generators within 
the prison.  Some inmates need medications and medical 
examinations.  Medical personnel from the Chamchamal 
Ministry of Health office have been asked to dedicate 
staff to the facility on a 24-hour basis. A food 
contractor is adjusting and using the kitchen facility 
in the prison to timely provide quality food for all 
the detainees and ICOs.  Hiring additional support 
personnel from the local community and staging for 
Qpersonnel from the local community and staging for 
expedited training will begin this week.  Given that 
the ICS has a very limited budget, on-going meetings 
with MOJ and ICS executive staff will focus on building 
sustainable operations. 
 
¶11.  (SBU) COMMENT: The future of Baghdad Central 
Prison is uncertain, as it is likely to now become 
a low priority for the MOJ. The MOJ,s current budget 
situation will not support an immediate repair and 
renovation of Baghdad Central Prison.  All funding 
currently available will most likely be diverted 
to meet the needs of the Chamchamal activation. 
END COMMENT. 
HILL