Recent Executions in Iraq Raise Concerns
Recent reports out of Iraq have revealed a disturbing trend of mass executions, with at least 21 people, including a woman, being hanged for various charges, primarily related to “terrorism”. This is the highest number of executions in one day in years, sparking conversations about the country’s trial processes and use of capital punishment.
One of the executed individuals was a woman who was part of a group responsible for killing a person during anti-government protests in 2019. Another individual, a young man accused of firing shots, was killed and his body publicly displayed.
Rights groups have criticized the hasty trials and heavy use of the death penalty in Iraq in recent years, with hundreds of individuals being sentenced to death for terrorism-related charges. The UN experts have expressed deep concern over the mass executions, urging for an end to such practices.
Efforts to shed light on the situation have been met with dismissal from Iraqi authorities, with the Justice Minister dismissing the concerns raised by UN experts as not being based on documented evidence.