Iraq
Death penalty and prisoners' rights · Archive since 1999
Data card
- Legal status
- Retentionist
- Executions recorded in 2026
- 1
- Executions recorded in 2025
- 0
- First news item in the archive
- JANUARY 1, 1999 · In mid-January, Col
- News items in the archive
- 866
Source: Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026.
Iraq is classified as Retentionist in the Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026. In 2026 the association recorded 1 executions in the country, against 0 the year before. The archive holds 866 news items on Iraq, from 1999 to today.
Latest news
- DECEMBER 29, 2009IraqDEATH PENALTY
THREE SENTENCED TO DEATH IN IRAQ FOR JUNE BOMBING
at the Rusafa criminal court in central Baghdad, Iraq, Adnan Jassim Ali al-Hamdani, Walid Mahmoud Mohammed al-Hamdani and Hawas Falah al-Juburi were sentenced to death by hanging.
- DECEMBER 14, 2009IraqDEATH PENALTY
RESUMPTION OF DEATH PENALTY IN IRAQ SPARKS UN CONCERN
“the resumption of the death penalty in Iraq earlier this year is a source of great concern to the United Nations”, according to the world body's latest report.
- DECEMBER 13, 2009IraqDEATH PENALTY
IRAQ SAYS 13 TO BE EXECUTED OVER BAGHDAD BLASTS
Iraqi Interior Minister Jawad al-Bolani said that 13 people arrested for deadly bombings in Baghdad on August 19, 2008, are to be executed.
- DECEMBER 4, 2009IraqDEATH PENALTY
IRAQ: OVER 900 PRISONERS FACE EXECUTION BY NEW YEAR
Iraq is preparing to execute hundreds of prisoners, including 17 women, Amnesty International warned, as it issued an 'urgent action' appeal to try to prevent the deaths.
NOVEMBER 23, 2009IraqDEATH PENALTYIRAQ: KILLER OF FATHER, HUSBAND SENTENCED TO DEATH
the criminal court in Karbala, Iraq, sentenced a woman to death for killing her father and husband with the
NOVEMBER 22, 2009IranDEATH PENALTYIRAQ: PRESIDENT TALABANI IN IRAN SEEKING KURD EXECUTION HALT
Iraqi President Jalal Talabani flew to Tehran to appeal for the lives of Iranian Kurds sentenced to death, a
- NOVEMBER 20, 2009IraqDEATH PENALTY
SUNNI LEADER IN IRAQ SENTENCED TO DEATH
Sunni leader Adil al-Mashhadani was sentenced to death, in Iraq, for terrorism according to Justice Ministry spokesman Abdul-Sattar Bayrkdar.
- NOVEMBER 18, 2009IraqDEATH PENALTY
IRAQ PLANNING TO HANG UP TO 126 WOMEN BY YEAR'S END
Iraq is planning to execute up to 126 women by the end of this year.
NOVEMBER 2, 2009IraqDEATH PENALTYIRAQ: FIRST PUBLIC EXECUTION SINCE SADDAM HUSSEIN’S RULE
the Iraqi Government will publicly execute Muhanned al-Aweni for the murder of Muntadher al-Mussewi, 11.
NOVEMBER 2, 2009IraqDEATH PENALTYIRAQ: AL-MALIKI REJECTS STAYS OF EXECUTION FOR 1,000 PRISONERS
Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki ruled out granting clemency to more than 1,000 Iraqi detainees
NOVEMBER 2, 2009EgyptDEATH PENALTYIRAQ: FIVE SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING HEAD OF SADDAM’S TRIBE
five men were sentenced to death in Iraq for murdering the head of Saddam Hussein’s Sunni tribe, the
NOVEMBER 1, 2009IraqDEATH PENALTYIRAQ: PARLIAMENT SPEAKER CALLS FOR DEATH PENALTY SUSPENSION
Iraq's parliament speaker called for a suspension of executions until after elections set for January, to ensure
SEPTEMBER 2, 2009IraqDEATH PENALTYIRAQ: 4 SENTENCED TO HANG FOR DEADLY BANK ROBBERY
an Iraqi court sentenced four Iraqi security force members to death for killing eight police guards during a
- AUGUST 31, 2009IraqDEATH PENALTY
REPORT CRITICISES IRAQ'S EXECUTIONS
In July 2009, at least 1,000 prisoners were believed to be on death row, including about 150 prisoners who had exhausted all means of appeal or clemency, Amnesty International reported.
- AUGUST 17, 2009IraqDEATH PENALTY
TORTURE AND EXECUTION OF IRAQI GAYS ON RISE: HRW
Iraqi militias are increasingly torturing and executing men suspected of homosexuality, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said.
- AUGUST 13, 2009IraqDEATH PENALTY
the Organization of Women's Freedom in Iraq...
the Organization of Women's Freedom in Iraq...
- JULY 30, 2009IraqDEATH PENALTY
URGENT APPEAL ON THE PENDING EXECUTION OF NINE IRAQI WOMEN
a delegation organised by the group “Woman Solidarity for an Independent and Unified Iraq” delivered an urgent appeal to a number of Arab League countries through their embassies in London.
- JULY 21, 2009IraqDEATH PENALTY
IRAQ: NINE WOMEN FACE IMMINENT EXECUTION
Amnesty International reported that at least three women have been executed since early June.
- JUNE 16, 2009IraqDEATH PENALTY
IRAQ: CHRISTIAN CLERIC CALLS FOR ABOLITION OF DEATH PENALTY
the Chaldean archbishop of the Iraqi city of Kirkuk, Louis Sako, condemned recent executions carried out by the Iraqi government and called for the abolition of the death penalty.
- JUNE 10, 2009IraqDEATH PENALTY
EU "DISTURBED" BY IRAQ EXECUTIONS, CALLS FOR FREEZE
The European Union protested against reported executions in Iraq and called on
- JUNE 8, 2009IraqDEATH PENALTY
IRAQ: DEATH PENALTY FOR MASTERMIND OF SHANGAL TOWN EXPLOSION
a man was sentenced to death for blowing up his car in front of the office of Kurdistan Democratic Party Brach 17 in Shangal town in Iraq in 2005, killing 15.
- MAY 28, 2009IraqDEATH PENALTY
the spokesperson of the Supreme Council of Iraqi Magistrates...
the spokesperson of the Supreme Council of Iraqi Magistrates...
- MAY 28, 2009IraqDEATH PENALTY
the spokesperson of the Supreme Council of Iraqi Magistrates...
the spokesperson of the Supreme Council of Iraqi Magistrates said that the Court of Cassation confirmed the death sentences of two people convicted of murder by courts in Babel and Bassora.
MAY 26, 2009IraqDEATH PENALTYIRAQ: CRIMINAL COURT SENTENCES 8 SHIITE MILITIA LEADERS TO DEATH
An Iraqi court in the southern city of Diwaniyah sentenced eight Shiite militia leaders to
MAY 18, 2009IraqDEATH PENALTYIRAQ: TWO MAHDI ARMY FIGHTERS SENTENCED TO DEATH
an Iraqi provincial court sentenced two members of Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr's
- MAY 3, 2009IraqDEATH PENALTY
IRAQ: 12 PEOPLE EXECUTED
12 people were hanged in Iraq. There had been no executions in the previous 18 months.
- APRIL 8, 2009ItalyDEATH PENALTY
RADICALS: INTERROGATION TO THE GOVERNMENT ON 128 IRAQIS AT RISK OF EXECUTION
the Radical parliamentarians joining the Democratic Party (PD), the first signatory being
- MARCH 30, 2009IraqDEATH PENALTY
IRAQI GAYS SENTENCED TO DEATH FACE EXECUTION
more than 100 prisoners in Iraq are facing execution, many believed to have been convicted of the ‘crime’ of being gay, the UK-based Iraqi-LGBT group revealed.
MARCH 17, 2009IraqDEATH PENALTYIRAQ: GOVERNMENT URGES EXECUTION OF SADDAM-ERA OFFICIALS
Iraq's government called on the presidential council to ratify the death sentences against former officials from Saddam Hussein's regime so that the punishments can be carried out.
- MARCH 12, 2009IraqDEATH PENALTY
IN IRAQ, 128 FACE EXECUTION IN BATCHES OF 20, REPORTS AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
Amnesty International called for the immediate intervention of Iraq's Justice Minister to stop the execution of 128 prisoners on death row, amid reports that the authorities are planning to start executing in batches of up to 20 starting next week.