Monday December 1, 2008, 4:56 am
The BBC has uncovered evidence of serious overcrowding in Iraqi prisons.

With so many thousands of people arrested during security operations and the judicial system unable to cope with the caseload, the country's jails are at bursting point.

Prisoners are tightly packed into small rooms.

This means that they find themselves having to take turns sleeping and standing up.

Others are forced to sleep underneath the beds, with some even sleeping next to the toilet area.

There is no exercise area, so prisoners are kept inside for weeks at a time.

Footage from other prisons confirms that these conditions are not an isolated case.

Yet, under the proposed security agreement with the United States, Iraqi authorities are eventually due to take control of all prisoners under US control as well.

The BBC's Iraq correspondent, Andrew North, gained exclusive access to Baghdad's Rasafah prison.

First broadcast 25 November 2008

Monday December 1, 2008, 5:39 am
TY Uhoud my friend, this is definately wrong! How terrible are those conditions for anyone to live in? It is not right, something should be done. Those that are there are not getting proper treatment!

Noted with hope that things will change & miracles do happen,
FreeSpiritRunning...

Monday December 1, 2008, 12:14 pm
hi uhood.there is no need for these prisons been over crouded the reason they are as l am sure we all know is torchee its true becaues of 09 11 enybody in that part of the world are giulty no matter what but hy most are inosent it is so wrongas in america the north americans are the same lood down on bt there goverment the chiefs should be running tere country as you yhoud l have always respected as a very good ambasador for your country after a petision we donea long time ago you are a very good person and love your people and l love you my very good friend for what you try and do for your people and so does a lot of our good friends thanks to youd our friends

Monday December 1, 2008, 6:14 pm
Noted. Thank you for the forward Charles.
Thank you Uhoud.

Tuesday December 2, 2008, 2:01 am
Surely this violates many human rights? Action needs to be taken to change these circumstances; nobody deserves to be caged up like this. I wonder if Amnesty International are working on this?

Thank you Uhoud for bringing us this story & love to you, for all you are doing to help your people in Iraq. And thanks Charles for forwarding the article x

Tuesday December 2, 2008, 7:33 am
just like in america! demacracy must be kicking in!

Wednesday December 3, 2008, 5:27 am
It's very pathetic to hear such things happening, specialy if many of them may be "political" prisoners.
Let's hope all that suffering soon will be left behind and prisoners without crime charges can go back home, to their families.

Wednesday December 3, 2008, 4:53 pm
what about their civil rights and democracy that we sold? or did we...?

Thursday December 4, 2008, 12:21 am
YES AND WHOSE FAULT IS THIS? BUSH AND CO> PLAIN AND SIMPLE SO THEY COULD GET RICH OFF THE WAS CHENEY WITH HALIBURTON STOCK AND EX CIO ,RUMMY WHICH DRUG CO STOCK GOES IN EVERY DIET DRINK THE MILITARY BUYS NICE CHUNK THERE AND BUSH WITH HARKIN ENERGY WHAT A BUNCH OF THUGS CHRIS

Thursday December 4, 2008, 12:02 pm
Amy no civil right and democracy in Iraq