Iraq launches digital system to help families track inmates’ health and location

BAGHDAD — Iraq’s Ministry of Justice has launched a new electronic system that allows families to monitor the location and health status of their incarcerated relatives.

Ministry spokesperson Ahmed Luaibi told the Iraqi News Agency that prisons and real estate registration offices have been equipped with surveillance camera systems linked to the general director’s office. “There is coordination with the Integrity Commission and the National Security Service to eliminate manipulation,” he said.

Luaibi said the new digital inmate tracking system enables families to check “the whereabouts of their relatives, their health condition, and the dates of entry or release,” through a networked platform connected to the general director and justice minister’s offices.

He added that the ministry is in talks with specialized companies to block unauthorized mobile phone signals in prisons while ensuring inmates have access to official communication booths.

The Justice Ministry is also continuing its automation of real estate registration departments and introduced a barcode system at ports to strengthen administrative control and reduce bureaucracy. Luaibi said the changes have contributed to curbing extortion and streamlining operations.

Justice Minister Khalid Shwani has also directed officials to speed up the implementation of a remote visitation system, which allows inmates to communicate with their families via video calls. The initiative is intended to reduce the burden on families and improve conditions inside correctional facilities.

In September, the ministry opened Iraq’s largest complex of vocational rehabilitation workshops at Najaf Central Prison, as part of broader reforms aimed at aligning prison standards with international human rights practices.