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
- MARCH 11, 2009IraqDEATH PENALTY
IRAQ: TWO DEATH SENTENCED FOR CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY
Two of Saddam Hussein's half-brothers, former Interior Minister Watban Ibrahim al-Hassan and director of public security Sabawi Ibrahim, were sentenced to death for crimes against humanity. Hussein's former foreign minister, Tariq Aziz, was convicted and
- MARCH 9, 2009IraqDEATH PENALTY
Amnesty International announced that the Iraqi Supreme Judicial Council...
Amnesty International announced that the Iraqi Supreme Judicial Council...
- MARCH 2, 2009ItalyDEATH PENALTY
PANNELLA WANTS AZIZ'S ACCOMPLICES TO BE SPARED AS WELL
“We acknowledged that intervening and preventing the state assassination in Iraq of Tareq Aziz, an official
MARCH 2, 2009IraqDEATH PENALTYIRAQ: 'CHEMICAL ALI' CONDEMNED TO DEATH FOR THIRD TIME
An Iraqi court condemned Saddam Hussein's notorious henchman, "Chemical Ali" Hassan
- FEBRUARY 26, 2009IraqDEATH PENALTY
IRAQ HANDS DEATH PENALTY TO 28 CULTISTS FOR ATTACKS
Twenty-eight members of a Shiite messianic cult responsible for brutal attacks on
- FEBRUARY 23, 2009IraqDEATH PENALTY
SUPREME CRIMINAL COURT SENTENCES THREE TO DEATH FOR MURDER
the Supreme Criminal Court in Diyala, Iraq, sentenced three people to death for murder.
- FEBRUARY 8, 2009IraqDEATH PENALTY
according to the Iraqi Supreme Judicial Council’s website...
according to the Iraqi Supreme Judicial Council’s website...
- FEBRUARY 3, 2009IraqDEATH PENALTY
UK: GAY IRAQI COULD FACE DEATH PENALTY IF DEPORTED
A gay Iraqi man due for deportation tomorrow has been told by the UK Border Agency to conduct his
- JANUARY 1, 2009IraqDEATH PENALTY
On April 9, 2003 Saddam Hussein’s Baathist regime was overthrown by a US-led military coalition.
On April 9, 2003 Saddam Hussein’s Baathist regime was overthrown by a US-led military coalition.
- DECEMBER 29, 2008ItalyDEATH PENALTY
IRAQ: HANDS OFF CAIN- DON'T DEPORT THE ASHRAF IRANIAN REFUGEES
Hands Off Cain secretary Sergio D’Elia sent Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki an appeal saying he was
- DECEMBER 15, 2008IraqDEATH PENALTY
3 TO BE HANGED IN WASSIT
the Central Criminal Court issued death penalties against three people in Iraq's Wassit province, the director of the investigation committee in Wassit said.
- DECEMBER 13, 2008IraqDEATH PENALTY
the top UN envoy in Iraq urged the Shiite-led government to treat imprisoned Saddam Hussein-era figures
the top UN envoy in Iraq urged the Shiite-led government to treat imprisoned Saddam Hussein-era figures
- DECEMBER 4, 2008IraqDEATH PENALTY
MAN RECEIVES DEATH SENTENCE FOR KILLING EX-GOVERNOR OF MUTHANNA
the al-Muthanna Criminal Court in Iraq sentenced a man to death for assassinating former governor Mohammed Ali al-Hassani, a court official said.
- DECEMBER 2, 2008IraqDEATH PENALTY
IRAQ'S 'CHEMICAL ALI' GETS SECOND DEATH SENTENCE
Ali Hassan al-Majid, known as "Chemical Ali", received a second death sentence for the mass killing of
- DECEMBER 2, 2008IraqDEATH PENALTY
4 CIVILIANS SENTENCED TO DEATH ON MURDER, ROBBERY CHARGES
the Criminal Court in Wassit, Iraq, handed down death sentences to four civilians after being found guilty of murder and robbery.
- NOVEMBER 22, 2008LibyaDEATH PENALTY
IRAQ: 6 SENTENCED TO DEATH
the Federal Court of Cassation in Iraq upheld the death sentences imposed by the Criminal Court on six convicts, including two Arab nationals, for murder, abduction and terrorism-related crimes.
- NOVEMBER 11, 2008IraqDEATH PENALTY
CRIMINAL COURT SENTENCED FOUR TO DEATH
the official spokesman for the Supreme Judicial Council in Iraq said that the Central Criminal Court in al-Karkh sentenced four people to death for perpetrating different crimes.
- NOVEMBER 10, 2008IraqDEATH PENALTY
SALAH AL-DIN LOCAL COUNCIL MEMBER, SON SENTENCED TO DEATH
the Salah al-Din Central Court in Iraq sentenced a member of the provincial council and his son to death by hanging after they were found guilty of murder.
- NOVEMBER 8, 2008IraqDEATH PENALTY
MAN TO HANG OVER KARBALA CAR BOMB
the Karbala Criminal Court in Iraq has sentenced a man to death for involvement in a car bomb attack on May 7, 2006, that killed two people near the provincial building
- NOVEMBER 6, 2008IraqDEATH PENALTY
Riyadh Jasim Mohammed, Mohammed Sultan...
Riyadh Jasim Mohammed, Mohammed Sultan...
- OCTOBER 30, 2008IraqDEATH PENALTY
the Association of Muslim Scholars (AMS) released a statement saying that they strongly condemn and denounce the death sentence
the Association of Muslim Scholars (AMS) released a statement saying that they strongly condemn and denounce the death sentence
- OCTOBER 28, 2008IraqDEATH PENALTY
IRAQI MILITANT TO HANG FOR KILLING OF U.S. SOLDIERS
An Iraqi court sentenced a militant to death by hanging for the killing of three U.S. soldiers in 2006.
- OCTOBER 7, 2008IraqDEATH PENALTY
IRAQ. SECRET EXECUTIONS STILL CARRIED OUT
the Independent learned that secret executions are being carried out in Iraq in the prisons run by Nouri al-Maliki's government.
- OCTOBER 1, 2008IraqDEATH PENALTY
a man has been executed after he was found guilty...
a man has been executed after he was found guilty of committing murders, the Diwaniya’s anti-terror office director said, adding death sentences were handed down against 42 on the same charges.
- SEPTEMBER 22, 2008IraqDEATH PENALTY
IRAQ. LAWMAKER COULD BE SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR VISITING ISRAEL
an Iraqi lawmaker who has made two trips to Israel and advocates peaceful relations with the Jewish state had his parliamentary immunity lifted last week and now could face a death sentence if Baghdad chooses to prosecute him.
- SEPTEMBER 22, 2008IraqDEATH PENALTY
IRAQ: MAN CONDEMNED TO DEATH CAPTURED IN WASSIT
policemen captured a man wanted by security authorities who was sentenced to death in absentia by a court in Kut city, Iraq, a security source in Wassit said.
- SEPTEMBER 21, 2008Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
IRAQ SENDS 8 SAUDIS HOME
eight Saudi Arabian nationals jailed in Iraq were sent home ahead of a new extradition treaty between the two countries.
- AUGUST 30, 2008IraqDEATH PENALTY
KARBALA INCIDENTS’ MASTERMIND SENTENCED TO DEATH
in Iraq, Karbala’s Court of Appeal sentenced an armed group leader to death for masterminding a bloody clash during a Shiite pilgrimage where hundreds were killed and injured.
- AUGUST 25, 2008ItalyDEATH PENALTY
L'AQUILA. ELA GANDHI SIGNS MARCO PANNELLA'S ‘MORATORIUM ON CAPITAL PUNISHMENT, EVEN FOR TAREQ AZIZ’ APPEAL
Ela Gandhi signed the appeal for Marco Pannella's non violent initiative for the 'Moratorium on capital punishment, even for Tareq Aziz'.
- AUGUST 20, 2008IraqDEATH PENALTY
IRAQ. FORMER MINISTER SENTENCED TO DEATH
a former Iraqi cabinet minister was sentenced to death for ordering