The Iraqi authorities executed the death sentence against 3 convicts in "terrorist" cases in a prison in the southern province of Dhi Qar, and for their part, human rights organizations expressed their fear that Baghdad would give the green light to carry out a series of executions in response to the bloody suicide bombings last Thursday.

Police sources indicated that the convicts, who were executed on Monday in the central prison of Nasiriyah, were from Nineveh, Anbar and Babel provinces.

On Saturday, the Presidency approved the execution of the death sentence against 340 convicts on "terrorist and criminal" charges, two days after 32 people were killed and 110 wounded in two suicide bombings in the capital, Baghdad, claimed by ISIS.

The trial of those affiliated with the organization is conducted under Article 4 of the Anti-Terrorism Law, which provides for the death penalty for anyone who, as a principal perpetrator or partner, has committed terrorist acts.

The implementation of death sentences, according to the constitution, requires the approval of the President of the Republic in order for them to acquire legal status, and the Ministry of Justice undertakes their implementation after receiving special decrees from the presidency.

Al-Bayati: The government is caught between popular demands for revenge and the inability to stop ISIS attacks (Al-Jazeera)

International concern

Human rights organizations have expressed their fear that the Iraqi presidency will give the green light to carry out a series of executions in retaliation after the Baghdad bombings.

Belkis Wali, a researcher specializing in Iraqi affairs at Human Rights Watch, said that the announcement of this order is evidence that "the death penalty is a political tool."

She explained, "Leaders use this type of advertisements to tell people that they are working for them, without paying attention to the truth about the flaws in the trials."

Ali Al-Bayati, a member of the Governmental Human Rights Commission in Iraq, said that the government is trapped between public opinion that demands revenge and the political, security and judicial system that is unable to stop ISIS attacks, and as a result, "Iraq is facing limited options" regarding human rights.

He explained that "the death sentence is part of the Iraqi legal system, as we do not have real rehabilitation centers like democratic countries that care about human rights and prisoners, especially terrorists who turn prisons into recruitment centers for others."

He stressed the existence of "a defect in terms of the lack of clear guarantees and real transparency in the investigation and judgment sessions, and the failure to allow human rights organizations to play their role."

Ratification of death sentences is a common occurrence in Iraq after such attacks.

He had carried out 100 executions by hanging during the year 2019 alone.

The year before, Haider al-Abadi, the former prime minister, dealt a heavy blow, with the execution of 13 convicted terrorists.

Photos of their hanging were deliberately published for the first time in order to contain the criticism that he faced following the assassination of 8 civilians by ISIS.

Arbitrary action

And Michelle Bachelet, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, considers that Iraq is witnessing "repeated violations of the right to a fair trial and effective legal representation, with accusations of torture and ill-treatment", which makes the death penalty "an arbitrary government measure with deprivation of life."

Last November, the United Nations expressed its concern after the authorities had executed 21 convicts, most of whom were convicted of "terrorism".

Since then, no executions have been officially announced.

Iraq carried out about 30 executions during the year 2020, making it the fourth largest executioner among countries, after China, Iran and Saudi Arabia, according to Amnesty International.

Over the past years, Iraqi courts have issued hundreds of death sentences and life imprisonment according to a law that punishes even the death penalty for anyone who joins a "terrorist group", whether or not he fights in its ranks.

Baghdad did not implement the death sentence against any foreigner convicted of belonging to ISIS, but 11 French and one Belgian are currently awaiting execution.