EDITORIAL : THE AZZAMAN, IRAQ

Iraq tops world countries in jailbreaks

By Khayoun Ahmad

Azzaman, May 31, 2011

There are more jailbreaks in Iraq than any other country in the world, a non-governmental group has said.

The Social Reform Organization, an Iraqi non-governmental group, said more than 4,000 jailbreaks were reported in the country in the four years ending 2010.

The group, in a statement, said: “Iraq is in the forefront of (world) countries in number of prison escapes and number of prisoners fleeing their jails.”

“The Iraqi prison system is in danger,” the group said.

Baghdad came first in Iraq in the number of jailbreaks, the group said.

The restive provinces of Nineveh, Anbar and Diyala came second, third and fourth consecutively.

In southern Iraq, the provinces of Basra, Babel and Wassit also reported a high number of jailbreaks in the same period, the group said.