Iraq’s Government has executed 42 “terrorism” detainees in the last week, the Justice Ministry said on Thursday.
One woman was among those killed.
The Justice Minister said those executed were found guilty of involvement in “terrorism crimes” that “led to the martyrdom of dozens of innocent citizens, in addition to the commission of other crimes that aim to destabilise the security and stability of the country, and cause chaos and terror”.
The United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq said the executions were carried out on Tuesday and Wednesday and repeated a call for the Government to adopt a moratorium on the implementation of all death sentences.
The UN Human Rights Commission also expressed its concern over the executions, saying they were “most probably against international law” and were undermining attempts at stability in society.
With the latest executions, 132 people have been put to death ithis year, compared to 129 in all of 2012.
Baghdad also executed 23 people in two days last month, 20 of them convicted on terrorism charges,
Violence in Iraq is at its highest level since 2008, with almost 5000 people killed since the beginning of the year.
Amnesty International criticized the executions on Thursday, declaring Iraq “is one of the most prolific executioners worldwide, after China and Iran”, and saying the sentences follow unfair trials and confessions.
Earlier this year, United Nations human rights chief Navi Pillay noted “numerous convictions based on confessions obtained under torture and ill-treatment, a weak judiciary, and trial proceedings that fall short of international standards”.
