Iraq hands death sentence, life imprisonment to two terror suspects

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – An Iraqi court on Tuesday announced the sentencing of two men on terror-related charges, one after being convicted of having an explosive vest in his possession during an arrest in the northern province of Nineveh.

A court in Baghdad “sentenced to death by hanging the suspect after he was convicted of belonging to a terrorist organization,” the Supreme Judicial Council said in a statement received by Kurdistan 24.

Although the statement did not clarify which terrorist organization the suspect belonged to, Baghdad has sentenced to death several members of the so-called Islamic State (IS) in the past and it is the most likely option, given the group's activity in Iraq during recent years.

The statement added that an explosive vest and other equipment used in the creation of explosives were seized from the convict at the moment of his arrest, adding that he “intended to use it to destabilize security and stability in the country.”

It did not reveal the identity of the convict nor the exact date of his arrest but pointed out that the sentence was issued in accordance with the provisions of article four of Iraq’s anti-terrorism law.

Elsewhere, the court also issued a “life sentence for another convict for belonging to a terrorist organization in Diyala Province and for participating in terrorist operations against security forces,” according to the statement.

Since declaring a military victory over IS late last year following a devastating three-year war, Iraq has accelerated the pace of prosecutions against suspected members of the extremist group.

So far, authorities have not disclosed the number of terrorism suspects in Iraqi prisons nor the number of those facing execution or life imprisonment.

International humanitarian and human rights organizations, including the United Nations and Human Rights Watch, say efforts by Iraqi authorities to speed up the implementation of death sentences could lead to the execution of innocent people, especially with the nation's poor standards of criminal justice. 

The death penalty in Iraq was suspended on June 10, 2003, but was reinstated the following year.

Editing by John J. Catherine