Iraq Executes 21 on Terrorism Charges, Highest in Years

Iraqi authorities have executed at least 21 individuals, including one woman, primarily on terrorism charges, Arab News revealed yesterday citing security sources. This marks the highest number of executions reported in a single day in years. The executions took place at Al-Hut prison in Nassiriya, with all convicts being Iraqi nationals. Among them, the woman was part of a group responsible for a murder during anti-government protests in 2019.

In recent years, Iraqi courts have issued hundreds of death sentences for terrorism-related offenses, often criticized for their expedited trial processes. This follows a pattern of mass executions, with 10 individuals hanged in July and eight in May. UN experts have raised concerns about these practices, citing a significant rise in executions, but Iraqi officials have dismissed these claims as lacking documented evidence. The latest executions have reignited calls from human rights groups to abolish the death penalty in Iraq.