Iraq Executes 8 People for Terrorism and Islamic State Membership

On Thursday, Iraqi authorities executed eight individuals convicted of terrorism and membership in the Islamic State (IS) group by hanging at Al-Hut prison in Nasiriyah, Dhi Qar province. The executions were conducted under Article 4 of the anti-terrorism law, according to a security source.

The executed individuals were part of the second group of executions in recent weeks, following the execution of eleven people on May 6 for similar crimes. This brings the total number of executions in just over a month to thirty, including another eleven executed on April 22.

Al-Hut prison, also known as 'the whale,' is notorious for its harsh conditions and high mortality rate among inmates. Many believe that those jailed there never walk out alive. The executions were carried out under the supervision of a justice ministry team.

Iraqi law allows for the death penalty for terrorism and murder offenses, with execution decrees requiring the president's signature. Rights groups, including Amnesty International, have expressed concern over the lack of transparency in Iraq's execution process. They have denounced the trials as hasty and warned that confessions may have been obtained under torture.

Iraqi courts have handed down hundreds of death and life sentences in recent years to individuals convicted of membership in a 'terrorist group,' an offense that carries the death penalty regardless of whether the defendant was an active fighter. The health department received the bodies of the eight executed individuals.

The Islamic State group overran large areas of Iraq and Syria in 2014, proclaiming its 'caliphate' and launching a reign of terror. Iraqi forces, backed by a US-led military coalition, defeated IS in Iraq in 2017, and US-backed Kurdish forces defeated IS in Syria in 2019. However, IS remnants continue to carry out deadly attacks and ambushes, particularly from remote areas and desert hideouts.

UN experts have expressed 'deep concern at reports that Iraq has begun mass executions in its prison system' in late January. Amnesty International condemned the 'alarming lack of transparency' in the trials.

The recent executions highlight the ongoing challenges in Iraq's fight against terrorism and the controversial use of the death penalty in the country's judicial system.

Key Takeaways

• Iraq executes 8 individuals convicted of terrorism and IS membership by hanging.
• This is the second group of executions in recent weeks, totaling 30 executions.
• Executions were carried out at Al-Hut prison, notorious for harsh conditions and high mortality rate.
• Rights groups, including Amnesty International, express concern over lack of transparency in trials.
• Iraqi law allows death penalty for terrorism and murder offenses, with execution decrees requiring president's signature.