Ambiguity surrounds the issue of the trial of the killers of the Iraqi writer and political analyst Hisham Al-Hashemi, after the judiciary postponed for the third time in a row the trial session without revealing the reasons for the postponement, while news circulated about the escape of the accused of killing and liquidating Al-Hashemi and paying blood money to the Al-Hashemi family.

The trial session of the accused, Ahmed Owaid Al-Kinani, who confessed to the killing of Al-Hashemi, was scheduled to take place last Sunday, but the competent criminal court decided to postpone it to mid-July next.

Al-Hashemi was assassinated on July 6, 2020, in front of his house in the Zayouna district of the capital, Baghdad, by people on a motorcycle, in an incident that sparked an uproar among popular circles and resonated internationally.

In July 2021, Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi announced the arrest of Al-Hashemi's killers, while the state television broadcast the confessions of the accused Al-Kinani, a 36-year-old first lieutenant.

More than a year ago, the Iraqi judiciary failed to hold a session to try the killer despite his presence in prison, which prompted many to question the authenticity of news that Al-Kinani escaped from prison at the hands of an armed faction.

Al-Hashemi, accompanied by a number of his sons (communication sites)

new details

In this regard, a source close to the al-Hashemi family said that the news about the postponement of the murderer's trial is true, as evidenced by the Iraqi judiciary's failure to disclose the real reasons behind the postponement more than once.

In an interview with Al-Jazeera Net, the source - who preferred to remain anonymous - mentioned new details related to the case, and said that the family had received a special notification stating that the faction accused of killing al-Hashemi had escaped from prison a while ago and had killed him.

The source spoke, saying, "The faction has given the killer's family blood money after the execution of the accused, with the aim of preventing the leakage of any information concerning the parties behind the orders to assassinate al-Hashemi."

He pointed out that "the al-Hashemi family is now outside Iraq, and it is possible in the coming days to assign a lawyer to follow up on the case."

Regarding government cooperation with the family, the source said, "The Iraqi government has violated all the covenants that included giving a plot of land to the martyr's family, granting special privileges to them, and holding the killers accountable before public opinion."

The same source continued, "The government person charged with following up the case with the family is no longer answering the phone, while the government has not issued any clarification about the accountability of the killer and the denial of the reports that talk about his escape."

He concluded his speech by saying, "Al-Hashemi's family is afraid of a new targeting in the event of talking about the issue with the media about everything that is going on, especially the government's retreating role."

Al-Abadi considered that the postponement of the trial for the killing of Al-Hashemi was due to reasons such as the absence of witnesses and the lack of evidence (Al-Jazeera Net)

legal comment

On the other hand, legal expert Ahmed Al-Abadi refutes the postponement of the trial for the killing of Al-Hashemi, due to the presence of reasons behind it, for example the absence of witnesses, a lack of forensic reports, or other reasons.

And regarding the news of the killer's escape, Al-Abadi went on, in his speech to Al-Jazeera Net, by saying, "If the killer's escape is proven, this means impunity, and the trial may continue in absentia."

It should be noted that the Prime Minister had previously vowed, more than once, to hold those responsible for the assassination of Al-Hashemi accountable, stressing by saying, "We promised you to arrest the killers of the researcher Hisham Al-Hashemi... and his killer today is in prison and awaits the verdict of justice."

Al-Nasser: The government is unable to point to those responsible for the assassination of Al-Hashemi, so how can it prosecute them? (Communication sites)

government weakness

For his part, Duraid Al-Nasser, a researcher in political affairs, said, "The Iraqi security forces and other political parties have not yet been able to arrest the people who ordered the killing of al-Hashemi."

According to Al-Nasser, "the Iraqi government is unable to point out the real killers responsible for the assassination of Al-Hashemi, so how can it prosecute them?"

Al-Nasser indicated, during his speech to Al-Jazeera Net, that "the current Iraqi government is required to disclose those parties that issued the assassination orders, especially as it has repeatedly pledged to avenge Al-Hashemi's killers."

And an Iraqi court issued, last year, a death sentence by hanging against a defendant accused of killing journalists known for their activism in support of the October protests, a file that al-Hashemi supported, which he repeatedly spoke about, accusing the militias of liquidating activists in Iraq.

Al-Kazemi when offering his condolences to the Al-Hashemi family in Baghdad two years ago (Al-Jazeera)

obvious fault

In addition, the Iraqi security expert, Saadoun Al-Saadi, believes that there is a clear government failure "as a result of the failure to bring the killers and the parties behind the assassination to the judiciary to receive a just punishment."

In an interview with Al-Jazeera Net, Al-Saadi added, "The internal and external political equations control the ambiguity surrounding the trial of the killer in prison, as previously announced by the government."

And the Iraqi expert goes on to say, "The fragile political situation and the obstruction regarding the formation of the new government in the country may be one of the reasons that prevent the government from revealing the details of the Hashemi case, due to the requirements of the public interest and for fear of inflaming popular anger."

Al-Saadi concluded his speech by saying, "The presence of armed elements and militias linked to partisan blocs and political forces has cast a shadow over the trial of Al-Hashemi's killers so far."

Dozens of activists have met the same fate as Al-Hashemi, since the start of the October 2019 demonstrations until now, when it is estimated that 600 people were killed and 30,000 wounded, with dozens kidnapped.