Iraq
2026
- GOVERNMENT
- federal parliamentary democracy
- CONSTITUTION
- ratified on October 15, 2005 (currently under review by the Constitutional Committee and likely to be subject to a referendum in the future)
- LEGAL SYSTEM
- based on European civil law and Islamic law
- LEGISLATIVE SYSTEM
- Council of Representatives
- JUDICIAL SYSTEM
- according to the constitution, the federal judiciary includes the High Judicial Council, the Federal Supreme Court, the Federal Court of Cassation, the Public Prosecutor's Department, the Judicial Oversight Commission, and other federal courts
RELIGIONS
97% Muslims; Christian and Hindu minorities
From the country
- JULY 12, 2004IraqDEATH PENALTY
European Union foreign ministers have urged the interim...
European Union foreign ministers have urged the interim Iraqi government not to reinstate the death penalty, which some Baghdad leaders have said could be brought back into force
- JULY 12, 2004IraqDEATH PENALTY
Iraqi interim President Sheikh Ghazi al-Yawar confirmed...
Iraqi interim President Sheikh Ghazi al-Yawar confirmed the country would soon reinstate the death penalty, as the European Union voiced its strong opposition to the sentence
- JULY 12, 2004IraqDEATH PENALTY
One of Iraq's top Shiite politicians, Abdul Aziz al-Hakim,...
One of Iraq's top Shiite politicians, Abdul Aziz al-Hakim, said during a visit to Iran that ousted president Saddam Hussein deserved the death penalty for his war against Iran as well as other crimes
- JULY 10, 2004IraqDEATH PENALTY
About 200 women rallied in the Shiite Muslim holy city...
About 200 women rallied in the Shiite Muslim holy city of Najaf to demand that ousted leader Saddam Hussein be executed for his regime's crimes against Iraq's majority community
- JULY 9, 2004IraqDEATH PENALTY
Wth weapons in their hands, thousands of Shiites, supporters...
Wth weapons in their hands, thousands of Shiites, supporters of rebel leader Moqtada al Sadr, took to the streets of Baghdad, to demand death for Saddam Hussein without a trial
- JULY 8, 2004IraqDEATH PENALTY
A criminal court in the southern Iraqi city of Karbala...
A criminal court in the southern Iraqi city of Karbala issued the first six death sentences in the country since the toppling of former president Saddam Hussein's regime, local newspaper Al Taakhi reported
- JULY 7, 2004IraqDEATH PENALTY
With anger mounting that Saddam Hussein had not been...
With anger mounting that Saddam Hussein had not been charged over his invasion of and use of chemical weapons against Iran, Iranian MPs called for the ousted Iraqi dictator to stand before an international court
- JULY 7, 2004IraqDEATH PENALTY
“We want a restricted death penalty, for a limited time...
“We want a restricted death penalty, for a limited time...
- JULY 5, 2004IraqDEATH PENALTY
About 3,000 residents of Halabja rallied to demand...
About 3,000 residents of Halabja rallied to demand Saddam Hussein's execution in the town where an estimated 5,000 people were killed in a 1988 gas attack
- JULY 5, 2004IraqDEATH PENALTY
Chairwoman of the German Green Party, Angelika Beer,...
Chairwoman of the German Green Party, Angelika Beer, came out against the death penalty for overthrown Iraqi dictator Saddam Husayn
- JULY 4, 2004IraqDEATH PENALTY
Although Britain was against the death penalty in principle...
Although Britain was against the death penalty in principle and had conveyed this to Iraq, it was not likely to intervene if the former Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein, were to be executed after a proper trial by a sovereign Government
- JULY 3, 2004IraqDEATH PENALTY
Thousands of Shi'a Muslims chanted "Saddam must be...
Thousands of Shi'a Muslims chanted "Saddam must be executed" following Friday prayer services, while Sunnis generally ignored his court appearance - underscoring how differently each community viewed Saddam Hussein and his legacy