Iraq: abuse 'as bad as Saddam era'

"The former Iraqi prime minister, Iyad Allawi, has called for immediate action against human rights abuses.

Such abuses are as bad today as they were under Saddam Hussein, Mr Allawi told Britain's Observer newspaper.

His comments come two weeks after 170 detainees were found at an interior ministry centre, some allegedly suffering from abuse and starvation.

"People are doing the same as (in) Saddam Hussein's time and worse," Mr Allawi told the newspaper." ^BBC