Iraq closes Baghdad Central Prison

Iraqi Ministry of Justice announced on Tuesday the closure of Baghdad Central Prison (formerly Abu Ghraib prison) and evacuation of all prisoners. Iraqi Justice Minister Hassan Al-Shammari said in a statement 2,400 prisoners have been evacuated from the prison and transferred to prisons located in central and north provinces. The ministry has implemented this decision due to security reasons, and has started relocating Abu Ghraib staff and guards to other prisons in Baghdad, the minister added. Meanwhile, the infamous Abu Ghraib prison had witnessed terrorist attacks in 2013 that killed, wounded many staff members, and a number of prisoners escaped the premises. Source: KUNA