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
- 874
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 874 news items on Iraq, from 1999 to today.
In Iraq death sentences come largely from terrorism proceedings, often collective and concluded quickly. The method is hanging. Executions are carried out in groups, usually with no notice to the families and with announcements afterwards.
International bodies have repeatedly reported trials lacking minimum guarantees and sentences founded on confessions. The archive follows executions, sentences and requests for a stay.
Latest news
APRIL 1, 2007IraqDEATH PENALTYIRAQ. 'CHEMICAL ALI' FACES DEATH PENALTY
an Iraqi prosecutor sought the death penalty for Saddam Hussein's cousin Ali Hassan
- MARCH 27, 2007IraqDEATH PENALTY
an Iraqi penal tribunal sentenced a man to death...
an Iraqi penal tribunal sentenced a man to death...
MARCH 26, 2007IraqDEATH PENALTYIRAQ. CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT ISSUES 6 DEATH SENTENCES
the Central Criminal Court of Iraq, where US military testify against the suspected insurgents they arrest, has
MARCH 20, 2007IraqDEATH PENALTYIRAQ. FORMER SADDAM AIDE EXECUTED IN BAGHDAD
Iraq executed Saddam Hussein's former vice president Taha Yassin Ramadan before dawn as the nation marked the fourth anniversary of the US led war.
- MARCH 15, 2007IraqDEATH PENALTY
JORDAN ORDERS FOUR IRAQI REBELS HANGED
a Jordanian military court sentenced Ziyad Karbouli...
MARCH 15, 2007IraqDEATH PENALTYIRAQ. DEATH SENTENCE FOR SADDAM DEPUTY UPHELD
an Iraqi court unanimously upheld the death sentence by hanging against Taha Yassin Ramadan, Saddam Hussein's former deputy.
MARCH 14, 2007IraqDEATH PENALTYIRAQ. GOVERNMENT WANTS TO ABOLISH DEATH PENALTY - MINISTER
The government of Iraq wants to abolish the death penalty, its human rights minister said. The first step
MARCH 10, 2007IraqDEATH PENALTYIRAQ. TWO SENTENCED TO DEATH IN NASIRIYA
A court in Nasiriya sentenced two Iraqis to death for murder and kidnapping.
- MARCH 2, 2007IraqDEATH PENALTY
IRAQ. EXECUTIONS PUT ON HOLD
efforts to stop the imminent execution of three Iraqi women seem to have had an effect, as the executions of
- FEBRUARY 27, 2007IraqDEATH PENALTY
DEATH SENTENCES AGAINST THREE YOUNG IRAQI WOMEN
the National Lawyers Guild International Committee (NLG-IC) has received information that an Iraqi Tribunal has convicted and sentenced three young Iraqi women to death for terrorism offences.
FEBRUARY 21, 2007IraqDEATH PENALTYIRAQ. REPORT: 235 SENTENCED TO DEATH IN 2006
the London daily Al-Sharq Al-Awsat reported that, in 2006, Iraqi courts sentenced 235 persons to death
- FEBRUARY 12, 2007IraqDEATH PENALTY
IRAQ. FORMER SADDAM VP SENTENCED TO DEATH
the Iraqi High Court sentenced Saddam Hussein's former vice president to death by hanging, despite appeals from UN officials and international human rights groups.
- FEBRUARY 11, 2007IraqDEATH PENALTY
COUNCIL OF EUROPE SLAMS DEATH SENTENCE OF FORMER IRAQI VP
the death sentence of former Iraqi vice president Ramadan is "regrettable" and will likely inflame the situation in Iraq, the Council of Europe said.
- FEBRUARY 11, 2007IraqDEATH PENALTY
IRAQ SAYS IT EXECUTED 14 CONVICTED TERRORISTS
The Iraqi government said 14 convicted terrorists were executed for murder, kidnappings and rape in five of
- FEBRUARY 10, 2007IraqDEATH PENALTY
IRAQ. THREE WOMEN RECEIVE EXECUTION ORDERS IN BAGHDAD
three Iraqi women were handed execution
FEBRUARY 8, 2007IraqDEATH PENALTYU.N. RIGHTS CHIEF ARGUES FOR SADDAM AIDE
the U.N. human rights chief filed an unprecedented legal challenge with Iraq's highest court against a possible death sentence for one of Saddam Hussein's former deputies.
FEBRUARY 7, 2007IraqDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA. TWO IRAQIS EXECUTED FOR DRUG SMUGGLING
the Saudi Arabian authorities beheaded two Iraqi men, Jabbar Karim Saeed Abu Alya and Ali Hamza
- JANUARY 31, 2007IraqDEATH PENALTY
DEATH SENTENCES FOR NINE CONVICTED OF TERRORISM ANNOUNCED IN MOSUL
the Iraqi Central Criminal Court in the northern city of Mosul announced the death sentences of nine people convicted of terrorist offences...
JANUARY 23, 2007IraqDEATH PENALTYIRAQI FOREIGN MINISTER DEFENDS EXECUTIONS
following talks with his Italian counterpart, Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari defended the execution of Saddam Hussein and other former Iraqi officials, which prompted Italy to lead a push for a worldwide moratorium against the death penalty.
JANUARY 16, 2007IraqDEATH PENALTYBUSH: IRAQ “FUMBLED” SADDAM EXECUTION, MADE IT LOOK LIKE REVENGE KILLING
President Bush said the Iraqi government had "fumbled"
- JANUARY 15, 2007IraqDEATH PENALTY
IRAQ. SADDAM HALF BROTHER AND EX-OFFICIAL HANGED
Saddam Hussein's half brother and the former head of Iraq's Revolutionary Court were hanged today. A government spokesman said the head of one of the accused, Barzan Ibrahim, had been severed during the hanging.
- JANUARY 15, 2007ItalyDEATH PENALTY
IRAQ. D'ELIA: ANOTHER CONTRIBUTION TO THE ESCALATION OF VIOLENCE, UN MORATORIUM NEEDED IMMEDIATELY
Sergio D'Elia, Secretary of Hands Off Cain
JANUARY 10, 2007IraqDEATH PENALTYIRAQ. PRESIDENT URGES DELAY SADDAM CASE EXECUTIONS
Iraqi President Jalal Talabani said the government should delay the execution of two of Saddam Hussein’s
- JANUARY 9, 2007IraqDEATH PENALTY
DEATH SENTENCE IN THE TRIAL OF SADDAM HUSSEIN’S CO-DEFENDANT
the Iraqi appeals court said that Taha Yassin Ramadan, former Iraqi vice president’s life sentence was too lenient, and returned his case to the High Tribunal for reconsideration.
- JANUARY 8, 2007United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
UK. BLAIR SAYS VIDEO OF SADDAM EXECUTION "DEPLORABLE"
Tony Blair has backed the Iraqi government's announcement of an inquiry into the circumstances of the execution of Saddam Hussein.
- JANUARY 8, 2007IraqDEATH PENALTY
SADDAM LAWYERS CLAIM HIS BODY WAS ABUSED, APPEAL TO UN
a member of Saddam Hussein's legal team said that she intends on suing the Iraqi government at the International Court of Justice over the taunting of the former leader by executioners on the gallows.
JANUARY 8, 2007IraqDEATH PENALTYUK. BROWN: SADDAM'S EXECUTION 'COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE'
British Chancellor of Exchequer Gordon Brown condemned the hanging of former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein as "deplorable" and "completely unacceptable", the BBC reported.
- JANUARY 7, 2007IraqDEATH PENALTY
NEW U.N. CHIEF AGAIN URGES STAY OF IRAQI EXECUTIONS
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, dogged by charges he was softening UN opposition to capital punishment, weighed in again on the issue on January 6, urging a stay of executions in Iraq.
- JANUARY 5, 2007IraqDEATH PENALTY
EUROPEAN RIGHTS PANEL URGES END TO ALL EXECUTIONS IN IRAQ
the Council of Europe appealed to Iraq to immediately stop all executions, describing the death penalty as a human rights violation.
JANUARY 5, 2007IraqDEATH PENALTYGERMANY UNDERLINES EU OPPOSITION TO DEATH PENALTY BEFORE IRAQ EXECUTIONS
the European Union's current leader, Germany, stressed the EU's opposition to the death penalty before Iraq's planned execution of two of Saddam Hussein's co-defendants.