IRAQ: 17 PEOPLE EXECUTED IN ONE DAY, 51 THIS YEAR

Iraq executed 17 convicted criminals in one day this week, the justice ministry said, bringing to at least 51 the number so far this year.
"The justice ministry carried out (death) sentences against 17 people condemned for terrorist and criminal crimes ... on Tuesday (January 31)," a statement said.
"The ministry is continuing to carry out punishments against criminals according to the law and the constitution," Justice Minister Hassan al-Shammari was quoted as saying.
Last month, ministry spokesman Haidar al-Saadi said Iraq had so far executed 34 people this year, including two women and a Syrian. That is half the entire figure of 68 for all of 2011, including three foreigners and three Iraqi women.
The United Nations estimates that more than 1,200 people have been sentenced to death in Iraq since 2004, but it does not have comprehensive statistics on executions.
Death sentences in Iraq must be signed by the country's president, currently Jalal Talabani, but the chief executive may delegate that authority to either of the two vice presidents. As Talabani is an ardent opponent of the death penalty, that is what he does.