14 of 72 female inmates at Sulaymaniyah prison on death row, director says

SULAYMANIYAH, Iraq — The Sulaymaniyah Women's and Juveniles Rehabilitation Center holds 72 female inmates serving various prison terms, including 14 who have been sentenced to death and are awaiting execution, the facility's director, Fuad Cezza, said. The death sentences and other terms were handed down mainly for murder, theft, drug offenses and forgery, he added. Cezza said the number of children held at the facility fluctuates with new entries and releases and is therefore not fixed. Each inmate is given a personal file on admission and undergoes a medical examination, while placement in units is determined by age. The prison also offers educational and development courses, with some inmates completing secondary education and others continuing university studies, according to Cezza. He said the food service remains stable and unaffected by economic pressures, and described the overall situation at the facility as under control and stable.