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
JULY 10, 2024IraqDEATH PENALTYIRAQ: ISIS SUSPECT SENTENCED TO DEATH
An Iraqi court on July 9, 2024 handed a death sentence to a suspected Islamic State (ISIS) member in Salahaddin province, state media reported.
- JULY 6, 2024IraqDEATH PENALTY
SWEDEN SAYS THREE CITIZENS GIVEN DEATH SENTENCES IN IRAQ OVER SHOOTING
Three Swedish citizens have been sentenced to death in Iraq over their involvement in a shooting and a fourth may also face the same punishment over a separate crime, the Swedish foreign ministry said on July 4, 2024.
JULY 3, 2024IraqDEATH PENALTYIRAQ: ANOTHER SWEDISH CITIZEN SENTENCED TO DEATH
Another Swedish citizen has been sentenced to death in Iraq by a court decision, Report News Agency informed on July 2, 2024 referring to the Dagens Nyheter newspaper citing the press service of the Swedish Foreign Ministry.
- JUNE 18, 2024IraqDEATH PENALTY
SWEDEN SUMMONS IRAQI DIPLOMAT TO PROTEST DEATH PENALTIES REPORTEDLY HANDED TO 2 SWEDES
Sweden's Foreign Ministry said officials summoned the Iraqi chargé d’affaires on June 14, 2024 to protest against death sentences handed down to Swedes in Iraq.
JUNE 17, 2024IraqDEATH PENALTYIRAQ: IN RECENT WEEKS MORE THAN 60 PEOPLE EXECUTED
At least 63 people have been executed in Nasiriyah Central Prison in recent weeks alone. Human rights groups accuse the judiciary and executive authorities of abusing detainees and coercing them into making false confessions to justify the imposition of t
JUNE 11, 2024IraqDEATH PENALTYIRAQ: 7 DRUG TRAFFICKERS SENTENCED TO DEATH
An Iraqi court has sentenced seven individuals to death for drug trafficking, including one foreign national. The Central Criminal Court’s decision, announced on June 9, 2024 by the Supreme Judicial Council
- JUNE 2, 2024IraqDEATH PENALTY
IRAQ HANGS EIGHT CONVICTED OF 'TERRORISM'
Iraq executed eight people convicted of "terrorism", a security source and health official said on May 31, 2024, the third such group put to death in the country in little over a month.
- MAY 28, 2024IraqDEATH PENALTY
IRAQ: THREE ISIS FIGHTERS EXECUTED
The Iraqi Supreme Judicial Council announced on May 28, 2024 the execution of three ISIS fighters.
MAY 20, 2024IraqDEATH PENALTYIRAQ: NEARLY 100 DEATH SENTENCES, LIFE SENTENCES IN DRUG TRAFFICKING CRACKDOWN
Nearly 100 individuals – both Iraqi citizens and foreign nationals – were sentenced to death or life imprisonment on drug trafficking charges between 2023 and 2024, a spokesperson to the Interior Ministry said on May 15, 2024.
MAY 15, 2024IraqDEATH PENALTYIRAQ: DRUG DEALER SENTENCED TO DEATH
A Baghdad court on May 13, 2024 handed a death sentence for a drug dealer of foreign nationality accused of bringing narcotics into the country, state media reported.
- MAY 7, 2024IraqDEATH PENALTY
IRAQ EXECUTES 11 PEOPLE CONVICTED OF TERRORISM
Iraqi authorities on May 6, 2024 executed by hanging 11 people convicted of “terrorism”, security and health sources told AFP, the second such group put to death since late April.
- APRIL 27, 2024IraqDEATH PENALTY
IRAQ HANGS 11 CONVICTED OF 'TERRORISM'
Iraqi authorities have executed at least 11 people convicted of "terrorism" this week, security and health sources said April 24, 2024, with rights group Amnesty International condemning an "alarming lack of transparency".
- APRIL 22, 2024IraqDEATH PENALTY
IRAQ: TWO ISIS-LINKED INDIVIDUALS SENTENCED TO DEATH
The Central Criminal Court under the Iraqi Judiciary Council on April 22, 2024 handed a death sentence to two individuals linked to ISIS.
- APRIL 15, 2024IraqDEATH PENALTY
IRAQ: 6 DRUG DEALERS SENTENCED TO DEATH
An Iraqi court on April 14, 2024 issued death sentences to six drug dealers, including three foreigners.
MARCH 14, 2024IraqDEATH PENALTYIRAQ: SUSPECTED ISIS MURDERER SENTENCED TO DEATH
The Iraqi judiciary on March 12, 2024 sentenced a suspected Islamic State (ISIS) murderer in Anbar province to death, the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) reported
MARCH 11, 2024IraqDEATH PENALTYIRAQ: 5 DRUG DEALERS SENTENCED TO DEATH
An Iraqi court on February 27, 2024 handed down death sentences to five drug dealers, including three foreigners.
FEBRUARY 27, 2024IraqDEATH PENALTYIRAQ: A TERRORIST SENTENCED TO DEATH, DRUG DEALERS GET LIFE IMPRISONMENT
The Supreme Judicial Council stated on February 26, 2024 that a terrorist had been given the death penalty for setting off a car bomb close to the Prophet Ayyub 's shrine.
FEBRUARY 19, 2024IraqDEATH PENALTYIRAQ: SULAIMANI COURT SENTENCES MAN TO DEATH FOR KILLING WIFE
A Sulaimani court on February 18, 2024 sentenced a man to death for burning his wife alive nearly two years ago
JANUARY 24, 2024IraqDEATH PENALTYIRAQ: THIRTEEN MEN EXECUTED IN NASIRIYAH PRISON
Thirteen men were executed in Nasiriyah prison on December 25, 2023, the first mass execution since 21 men were executed on November 16, 2020.
- SEPTEMBER 13, 2023IraqDEATH PENALTY
IRAQ DEBATES LAW ON DEATH PENALTY FOR SAME-SEX RELATIONSHIPS
On August 15, 2023 a draft bill was introduced in Iraq that would see the death penalty introduced for homosexuality.
- SEPTEMBER 5, 2023IraqDEATH PENALTY
IRAQ: 3 HANGED FOR IS-CLAIMED BLAST THAT KILLED HUNDREDS
Iraq has hanged three people convicted for a 2016 bombing that killed more than 320 people in a Baghdad shopping district.
- AUGUST 13, 2023IraqDEATH PENALTY
IRAQ: COURT ANNULS DEATH SENTENCE IN ACADEMIC'S MURDER
An Iraqi court on July 31, 2023 overturned the death sentence handed down over the 2020 killing of prominent academic Hisham al-Hashemi and sent the case back to investigators.
AUGUST 1, 2023IraqDEATH PENALTYIRAQ: SUSPECTED DRUG DEALER SENTENCED TO DEATH
An Iraqi court on July 25, 2023 issued the death sentence for a suspected drug dealer, reported state media.
- MAY 8, 2023IraqDEATH PENALTY
IRAQ: COURT ORDERS THE DEATH PENALTY FOR A POLICEMAN WHO KILLED A GOVERNMENT ADVISOR
An Iraqi court on May 7, 2023 issued a death sentence for a policeman after he was found guilty of leading a group that shot dead the well-known analyst and government advisor Hisham al-Hashimi three years ago in Baghdad.
APRIL 20, 2023IraqDEATH PENALTYIRAQ: 8 SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR ISIS ACTIVITY IN JAIL
A court in Baghdad on 18 April 2023 sentenced eight people to death for attempting to organize the Islamic State (ISIS) in prison.
MARCH 23, 2023IraqDEATH PENALTYIRAQ: TWO SENTENCED TO DEATH OVER ACTIVIST’S ABDUCTION
An Iraqi court has sentenced two men to death in absentia for the 2020 kidnapping and disappearance of an anti-government activist, the judiciary on March 22, 2023 said.
- JANUARY 29, 2023IraqDEATH PENALTY
IRAQ: 14 SENTENCED TO DEATH OVER CAMP SPEICHER MASSACRE
Iraq's judiciary has sentenced 14 people to death over the 2014 Camp Speicher massacre.
OCTOBER 26, 2022IraqDEATH PENALTYIRAQ: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR ANTI-REGIME ACTIVIST'S KILLING
An Iraqi court has sentenced a man to death over the 2019 killing of an activist who had taken part in anti-government protests that year, the judiciary said on 25 October 2022.
- OCTOBER 9, 2022IraqDEATH PENALTY
IRAQ: SUSPECT IN KILLING YAZIDI MAN, DAUGHTER SENTENCED TO DEATH IN DUHOK
A court in Duhok on 5 October 2022 sentenced the suspect in the killing of a Yazidi man and his six-year-old daughter to death following a relatively swift hearing session during which the defendant admitted to the murders.
MAY 31, 2022IraqDEATH PENALTYIRAQ: COURT SENTENCES ISIS PLOTTER OF 2021 BAGHDAD MARKET BOMBING TO DEATH
An Iraqi court on 30 May 2022 sentenced to death an ISIS group member convicted of plotting a 2021 bomb attack that killed 32 people in a crowded Baghdad market.