EU condemns executing 21 prisoners in Iraq

Shafaq News / The European Union condemned the execution of convicts of terrorism in Iraq, and expressed sympathy with their families, calling on the Iraqi authorities to refrain from any executions in the future.

An official spokesperson for the union said in a statement, "Earlier this week, 21 people who were convicted on terrorism-related charges were reportedly executed in Al-Nasiriyah Central Prison in Iraq."

The spokesman added, "the European Union condemns in the strongest terms the criminal acts that were sentenced to them, and expresses its sincere sympathy to the victims and their families."

The European Union considered the death penalty, "a cruel and inhuman punishment", stressing, "it represents an unacceptable denial of human dignity and integrity."

The European Union called on the Iraqi authorities to "refrain from any future executions, to declare maintaining a de facto moratorium on the application of the death penalty, and to follow a consistent policy towards the abolition of the death penalty in the country."

On November 16, the Iraqi authorities executed 21 convicted of terrorism in Al-Nasiriyah Central Prison after the approval of the Presidency of the Republic.

It is noteworthy that the Iraqi authorities have not applied the death sentences against those convicted of terrorism charges in the prisons of the Ministry of Justice since 2018, despite repeated requests from the Presidency of the Republic to ratify the implementation of these sentences.