Abu Ghraib prison

Abu Ghraib prison was a <a href="/facts/Prison/UoT7KM4J">prison</a> complex in <a href="/facts/Abu_Ghraib/Wr4pL8zV">Abu Ghraib</a>, <a href="/facts/Iraq/pqYSFJw8">Iraq</a>, located 32 kilometers (20 mi) west of <a href="/facts/Baghdad/RbtLzzHe">Baghdad</a>. Abu Ghraib prison was opened in the 1960s and served as a <a href="/facts/Maximum-security_prison/XLmJKW03">maximum-security prison</a>. From the 1970s, the prison was used by <a href="/facts/Saddam_Hussein/nHnSodgy">Saddam Hussein</a> to hold <a href="/facts/Political_prisoner/QwWMH57J">political prisoners</a> and later the <a href="/facts/United_States/P0sCdLe5">United States</a> to hold Iraqi prisoners. It developed a reputation for <a href="/facts/Torture/oTCUxY3x">torture</a> and <a href="/facts/Extrajudicial_killing/aXmKesUe">extrajudicial killing</a>, and was closed in 2014.
Abu Ghraib gained international attention in 2003 following the <a href="/facts/Invasion_of_Iraq/V9zysaV1">U.S. invasion of Iraq</a>, when the <a href="/facts/Abu_Ghraib_torture_and_prisoner_abuse/BbGId4u2">torture and abuse of detainees</a> committed by guards in part of the complex operated by Coalition forces was exposed.
In 2006, the United States transferred complete control of Abu Ghraib to the <a href="/facts/Federal_government_of_Iraq/ksxHRFN2">federal government of Iraq</a>, and was reopened in 2009 as Baghdad Central Prison (<a href="/facts/Arabic_language/A1e66hVV">Arabic</a>: سجن بغداد المركزي Sijn Baġdād al-Markizī). However, due to security concerns during the <a href="/facts/War_in_Iraq_(2013%25E2%2580%25932017)/bav2NCfn">War in Iraq</a>, it closed in 2014. Since all of the 2,400 inmates were transferred to other high-security prisons, the prison complex is currently vacant, and Saddam-era <a href="/facts/Mass_graves_in_Iraq/gIPpGxeW">mass graves</a> have been uncovered at the site.

Abu Ghraib prison open-in-new

Abu Ghraib prison