BAGHDAD -- Iraq says a special commission has been formed to take over responsibility for thousands of detainees now in U.S. military custody.
Judge Abdul Sattar al-Beriqdar, a spokesman for the Supreme Judicial Council, told RFE/RL's Radio Free Iraq that on February 1 the commission will begin reviewing the cases of all the detainees handed over to the Iraqis.
Al-Beriqdar said the commission will carefully review each detainee's case and release anyone being held with insufficient evidence.
The United Nations Assistance Mission-Iraq (UNAMI) said in a recent report on human rights in Iraq that abuse allegations of imprisoned Iraqis is a concern. But al-Beriqdar said Iraqi law guarantees a detainee's legal rights.
Al-Beriqdar said the current number of U.S.-held detainees is about 16,000.
Judge Abdul Sattar al-Beriqdar, a spokesman for the Supreme Judicial Council, told RFE/RL's Radio Free Iraq that on February 1 the commission will begin reviewing the cases of all the detainees handed over to the Iraqis.
Al-Beriqdar said the commission will carefully review each detainee's case and release anyone being held with insufficient evidence.
The United Nations Assistance Mission-Iraq (UNAMI) said in a recent report on human rights in Iraq that abuse allegations of imprisoned Iraqis is a concern. But al-Beriqdar said Iraqi law guarantees a detainee's legal rights.
Al-Beriqdar said the current number of U.S.-held detainees is about 16,000.