In dramatic move, Iraqi PM visits prisons in response to protester appeals
The Iraqi government is under pressure to reveal the fate of persons unaccounted for and those detained in secret prisons.
Suzan Romeo, sister of Abdel Massih Romeo, who was kidnapped March 1, appealed to Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi on Aug. 8, to reveal her brother’s fate.
Romeo, a Christian, tweeted, “I want back my brother Abdel Massih. My brother is in a secret prison.” According to his fellow activists, the riot police arrested Romeo and transferred him to a prison at al-Muthanna airport in Baghdad.
On July 30, Kadhimi made a surprise visit to al-Muthanna prison, which is located in a large camp housing Iraqi forces in northern Baghdad.
No prime minister was expected to visit the prisons, especially al-Muthanna, which imprisons protesters who have been taking to the streets since October 2019.
