Since the invasion, hundreds of thousands of Iraqis have been detained by the US, one and a half million Iraqis have had an immediate family-member detained, almost every Iraqi knows someone who has been through the US detention system. Few American institutions affect the lives of ordinary Iraqis more directly and profoundly than the US detention system.

But once Iraqis are swept up in the system, there is no clear way out. The military calls them "security detainees" and they do not have any of the rights given to "prisoners". In fact, "security detainees" are not even accused of committing a crime. They are doing time, not for crimes they have committed, but for crimes they may commit in the future.

Big Noise gained exclusive access inside and outside of the US detention system in Iraq to file this report. It was made with the support of the Pulitzer Center for Crisis Reporting and originally aired on Al Jazeera English.(21min.)

Available in Big Noise Dispatches Vol.4 

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