DUBLIN – Amnesty International yesterday called for the immediate intervention of Iraq’s justice minister to stop the execution of 128 prisoners on death row, following reports that the authorities are planning to start executing them in batches of up to 20 starting next week.
“The Iraqi government said in 2004 that reinstating capital punishment would curb widespread violence in the country. The reality, however, is that violence has continued at extremely high levels and the death penalty has yet again been shown to be no deterrent,” said Malcolm Smart, director of Amnesty’s Middle East and North Africa Programme.
“In fact, many attacks are perpetrated by suicide bombers who, clearly, are unlikely to be deterred by the threat of execution.”
On March 9th, the Iraqi Supreme Judicial Council informed Amnesty International that Iraq’s presidential council had ratified the death sentences of 128 people whose sentences had already been confirmed by the Cassation Court.
The Iraqi authorities have not disclosed the identities of those facing imminent execution, and Amnesty expressed concern that many may have been sentenced to death after trials that failed to satisfy international standards.
Last year at least 285 people were sentenced to death, and at least 34 executed.