Iraq sentences killer of Hisham Al-Hashimi to death

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Iraqi judicial council on Sunday ordered the death penalty for Ahmed Al-Kenani for murdering Hisham Al-Hashimi, an Iraqi researcher and security expert, three years ago.

The judgment was made pursuant to the Iraqi Anti-Terrorism Law No. 13 of 2005, according to the Court’s statement. 

Hashimi was gunned down on July 6 in 2020, while parking his car at his home. His death sparked a public outcry, demanding the perpetrators be brought to justice.

A year after the assassination, former Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi announced that Ahmed al-Kenani, the culprit, had been arrested. The suspected assassin, known for his affiliation with the Shiite militia group, Kataib Hizbullah, made a televised confession. 

As an activist, Hashimi expressed support for the October 2019 protestors, who demanded employment opportunities, improved public services, and ceasing foreign interference in Iraq’s affairs.

At least 500 protesters were killed by Iraqi security forces and militias, while more than a thousand others were wounded. 

Before his killing, Hashimi was a vocal advocate against militia groups for their alleged involvement in the deadly crackdown on protests of October 2019.

"The researcher was among the world's leading experts on the Islamic State groups, providing details of its inner workings to the international media," the Washington Post reported following his assassination. Additionally, Hashimi worked closely with the Iraqi government on counterterrorism efforts.