Basra Prison staff protest relocation orders

Shafaq News- Basra

Employees of Basra Central Prison protested plans to transfer them to prisons in other provinces, urging authorities to consider their years of service and family circumstances and resolve grievances dating back to 2013.

Ahmed Al-Yasiri, an employee representative, told Shafaq News on Wednesday, that 300 of the prison’s 1,115 staff members had been assigned to facilities in Baghdad, Najaf, Babil and other provinces.

"The transfers have forced employees to travel long distances, adding to their financial and personal burdens," he said, noting that several staff members had died in road accidents during these journeys.

Most affected employees suffer from chronic illnesses, while even the least senior have at least 17 years of service, Al-Yasiri added. He also questioned the need for the transfers, saying other prisons "already had sufficient staff."

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