Iraq has executed 21 individuals, including a woman, who were convicted of crimes related to terrorism and ties to the extremist group ISIS.
This marks the highest number of executions in Iraq in recent months, according to three security sources and a medical official on Wednesday.
The executions were carried out under Iraq’s anti-terrorism laws, according to a security source in Baghdad, who stated that all 21 individuals were convicted of terrorism charges.
A source from Nasiriyah Prison, located in the southern province of Dhi Qar, confirmed the executions, stating that the convicts were sentenced under Article 4 of the Anti-Terrorism Law, and most were found guilty of being part of ISIS.
The woman executed was involved in the killing of a protester in 2019 during anti-government demonstrations in Baghdad’s al-Wathba Square.
The incident from 2019 involved demonstrators accusing a young man of firing at protesters. In retaliation, they beat him to death and hung his body from a pole in the square. The woman executed was reportedly part of this incident.
A medical source in Dhi Qar confirmed that the forensic department had received the bodies of those executed from the prison. Two other security sources indicated that all the executed individuals were Iraqi nationals.
While the exact date of the executions remains unclear, some sources estimate they took place on Tuesday, while others believe they occurred on Wednesday.
Over the past several years, Iraq’s courts have sentenced hundreds to death for terrorism-related offenses, particularly for membership in ISIS.
However, these trials have faced criticism from human rights organizations, which argue that many of the rulings were hastily delivered and lacked thorough legal proceedings.
Under Iraqi law, individuals convicted of terrorism and murder can face the death penalty. These sentences must be approved by the President of Iraq before being carried out.
