"Montather Al-Zaidi, Beaten & Tortured"

Tweet Link to original: http://www.uruknet.de/?s1=1&p=49777&s2=22

December 21, 2008

From Al-Baghdadia’s website:

(rough translation)

Uday Al-Zeidi, the older brother of the Al-Baghdadia’s correspondent who was detained a week ago, met with Montather today. Montather told his brother that after the incident, he was beaten and kicked by the Iraqi security forces until he fainted.

Uday told Al-Baghdadia channel during an exclusive interview this morning that the Iraqi justice system allowed him to meet his brother for more than an hour and a quarter. He confirmed that Montather told him that he was tortured with electric shock after being stripped naked, and that he was continuously humiliated and tortured throughout the period of detention, and that he had bruises all over his face and body, and that members of the Iraqi security forces disfigured his face through beatings and cigarette burns. Montather also told his brother Uday that confessions were extracted from him by force, and that he would like to bring a lawsuit against everyone who participated in his torture. Montather told Uday that he did what he did for all the Iraqi orphans, widows, children and for all the Iraqi people who where wronged.

Montather said that if he could go back in time he would still do what he did to Bush again. Montather confirmed that he does not belong to any political parties, and that no insult was intended toward the Iraqi PM Al-Maliki.

Al-Zaidi’s brother speculated that the reason behind denying his family access to Montather during the past days was because the authorities were trying to hide what has happened to Montather because of torture.

Finally, Uday Al-Ziedi demanded a fair neutral medical evaluation of Montather’s health in detention.

Translation by Raed Jarrar