Iraq to hang 9 convicted terrorists for deadly 2013 bombing of justice ministry
The convicted terrorists admitted that “the attack was organized to target the largest number of victims and sabotage state institutions.”
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – An Iraqi court on Monday sentenced to death nine people convicted of involvement in the bombing of the Justice Ministry six years ago.
The so-called Islamic State had previously claimed responsibility for the March 2013 bombing that killed at least 25 people and wounded dozens.
The Iraqi Supreme Judicial Council said in a statement that the “terrorists admitted during the trial that the attack was organized to target the largest number of victims and sabotage state institutions.”
“The court sentenced those convicted to death by hanging in accordance with the provisions of Article IV / 1 of the Anti-Terrorism Law,” the judiciary added.
The country has been highly criticized for its implementation of capital punishment in recent years. The death penalty in Iraq was suspended on June 10, 2003, but reinstated the following year.
International groups and human rights organizations, including the United Nations and Human Rights Watch, say efforts by Iraqi authorities to accelerate the implementation of death sentences could lead to the execution of innocent people, pointing to major flaws endemic to the nation’s deficient criminal justice system.
Earlier this month, the judiciary announced that the Babil provincial court sentenced an individual to death and a second person to life in prison after they were convicted on terrorism charges.
Editing by Karzan Sulaivany