What happened in Abu Ghraib and why did a US court award damages?

The case marks the first time victims of abuse at the hands of US soldiers in Iraq in 2004 have testified to a jury in court.

A United States jury has ruled that Virginia-based defence contractor CACI must pay $42m to three Iraqi men who were tortured at the Abu Ghraib prison in 2004.

But what exactly was it and what happened there? What was the case about? Here’s what you need to know:

Abu Ghraib, a maximum security prison in Abu Ghraib, Iraq, was used by the US to “interrogate suspects” after it invaded Iraq.

Established in the 1950s, it was used by former President Saddam Hussein to hold political prisoners during his presidency from 1979 to 2003.

After the US invaded Iraq in 2003, overthrowing Hussein who was subsequently executed, Abu Ghraib was taken over by the US military.