U.N. Official: Torture in Iraq Worse Than Under Saddam

GENEVA — Torture in Iraq may be worse now than it was under Saddam Hussein, with militias and government forces disregarding rules on the humane treatment of prisoners, the U.N. anti-torture chief said yesterday.

The U.N. special investigator on torture, Manfred Nowak, made the remarks as he was presenting a report on detainee conditions at the American prison in Guantanamo Bay as well as to brief the global body's top rights watchdog, the U.N. Human Rights Council, on torture worldwide. Reports from Iraq indicate that torture "is totally out of hand," he said. "The situation is so bad many people say it is worse than it has been in the times of Saddam Hussein."

Some allegations of torture were undoubtedly credible, with government forces among the perpetrators, he said, citing "very serious allegations of torture within the official Iraqi detention centers."

"You have terrorist groups, you have the military, you have police, you have these militias. There are so many people who are actually abducted, seriously tortured, and finally killed," Mr. Nowak told reporters at the United Nation's European headquarters.

"It's not just torture by the government. There are much more brutal methods of torture you'll find by private militias," he said.

A report by the U.N. Assistance Mission in Iraq's Human Rights office cited worrying evidence of torture, unlawful detentions, growth of sectarian militias, and death squads, and a rise in "honor killings" of women.

Iraq's government, set up in 2006, is "currently facing a generalized breakdown of law and order which presents a serious challenge to the institutions of Iraq," such as police and security forces and the legal system, the U.N. report said, noting that torture was a major concern. Mr. Nowak based his comments on interviews with people during a visit to Amman, Jordan, and other sources.

According to the U.N. report, the number of Iraqi civilians killed in July and August hit 6,599, a record-high that is far greater than initial estimates suggested, the U.N.r eport said Wednesday.