In a significant move on Monday, Iraqi authorities executed 10 individuals convicted of terrorism, marking the fourth such instance in the past three months. This action has spurred calls from human rights organizations to abolish the death penalty.
Iraqi courts have been known to issue numerous death and life imprisonment sentences for those found guilty of terrorism in recent years. Human rights groups have criticized these trials as being conducted too hastily.
Under Iraqi law, both terrorism and murder can result in a death sentence, which requires presidential approval before execution.
A health official reported that 10 Iraqis, found guilty of terrorism and affiliation with the Islamic State group, were executed by hanging at Al-Hut prison in Nasiriyah, a city in southern Iraq. A security source confirmed the executions, which were carried out under Article 4 of the anti-terrorism law. The health department has since received the bodies.
Due to the sensitivity of the situation, the sources requested anonymity.
Al-Hut, often referred to as “the whale” in Arabic, is notorious among Iraqis who believe that inmates rarely leave alive.
Iraq has faced criticism over its handling of these trials, with the terrorism charge carrying a death sentence regardless of the defendant’s level of involvement as an active fighter.
On May 31, Iraq executed eight people convicted of terrorism. This followed the execution of eleven individuals on April 22 and another group on May 6, according to security and health sources.
In June, United Nations experts expressed alarm at the high number of executions reported since 2016, with nearly 400 people executed, including 30 this year alone.
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“These widespread and systematic arbitrary executions could amount to crimes against humanity,” warned the special rapporteurs, including the expert on extrajudicial, summary, or arbitrary executions. They noted that official records indicate 8,000 prisoners are currently on death row in Iraq.
The experts urged Iraqi authorities to “halt all executions,” expressing horror at the reported deaths in Nasiriyah prison due to “torture and deplorable conditions.” Although appointed by the UN Human Rights Council, these experts do not speak on behalf of the United Nations.
Rights groups have also condemned the judicial process, alleging that confessions are often obtained under duress.
Razaw Salihy, a researcher for Amnesty International, stated, “Iraq’s ongoing use of the death penalty, despite national and international opposition, risks a human catastrophe on death row.” She urged Iraqi authorities to immediately halt executions to address the grave injustices that have led to thousands being sentenced to death and the appalling conditions they endure.
The Islamic State group, which seized large areas of Iraq and Syria in 2014, declared a caliphate and imposed a reign of terror. Iraqi forces, with the support of a US-led military coalition, defeated the group in 2017. In 2019, US-backed Kurdish forces ousted the last IS-held territory in Syria. However, IS remnants continue to carry out deadly attacks, often operating from remote and desert areas.
