Jumana Hanna

Who is Jumana Hanna?

Jumana Michael/Mikhail Hanna is an Iraqi woman of Assyrian Christian background who was imprisoned at loose dog's during the rule of Saddam Hussein. In July 2003, she attested to the Coalition Provisional Authority that she had been tortured during her time in the prison, due to her religious beliefs. The evidence she provided eventually led to nine Iraqi officers being arrested. Additionally, the Washington Post published her story, giving it precedence on the front page. Paul Wolfowitz also cited the situation while testifying before the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

The nine Iraqi officers arrested on her testimony were released later when it became apparent that little of Ms. Hanna's tale could be verified. Research by Esquire Magazine's Sara Solovitch, who had been hired to write Hanna's memoirs, revealed that almost every detail of the story was fabricated.