FILES: Justice Minister Khaled Shwani during a visit to a correctional facility in Baghdad.
Justice minister visits Taji prison, says security situation ‘reassuring’
BAGHDAD — Justice Minister Khaled Shwani visited Taji Central Prison on Sunday to review security measures at the facility, saying the overall situation in Iraqi prisons is “reassuring.”
Shwani inspected external fortifications, surveillance systems and monitoring mechanisms, and instructed officials to strengthen preparedness and “deal firmly and forcefully with any emergency that may arise.”
The visit came amid heightened concern over prison security following last week’s incident in which Iraqi air defenses shot down a drone that approached Abu Ghraib prison west of Baghdad. Authorities moved quickly to clarify the situation, in what appeared to be an effort to prevent speculation about a repeat of the facility’s history — Abu Ghraib was the site of a major jailbreak roughly a decade ago.