Aerial view of Basra
Inmate dies during transfer from Basra Central Prison
BASRA — An inmate at Basra Central Prison died on Tuesday while being transferred to a hospital after a sudden deterioration in his health, a security source told 964media.
The source said the inmate experienced a sharp rise in blood pressure accompanied by severe shortness of breath, prompting an urgent decision to transfer him outside the prison facility.
He was from Abi Ghraq subdistrict in Babil and had been sentenced to life imprisonment. The inmate had been held in one of the prison sections before showing emergency symptoms that required immediate medical attention. Authorities initiated transfer procedures after his condition worsened, but he died during the journey to the hospital.
Officials recorded the incident in an official report and notified relevant authorities to take the necessary legal and medical measures, the source added.
Earlier in February, a 43-year-old inmate serving a sentence for drug-related offenses died at the Basra Central Prison, according to a security source.
In late December 2025, another 48-year-old inmate at Basra Central Prison died after suffering from heart failure. The deceased had been serving a 15-year sentence for drug trafficking under Article 14 of the Iraqi Penal Code.
Many testimonies highlight widespread poor health, rapid disease transmission, and medical neglect in Iraqi prisons. The crisis is further aggravated by inadequate ventilation and the absence of sanitizers.