Iraq executes more than 600 Iraqis in four years

The Iraqi justice ministry has executed more than 600 “terrorists” in the past four years, the Iraqi justice minister Hassan al-Shimri has said.

Speaking publicly in Al-Nasiriyeh City, Al-Shimri said that his ministry was not famous four years ago. However, he reiterated, it has became known to everyone as a result of the execution of “criminal terrorists.” He called this “an achievement” for his ministry.

Al-Shimri noted that the “terrorists” used to completely control the reformatory prisons and run their operations from inside.

The minister said that his ministry has “forcefully” fought “terrorists,” brought the prisons under control and prevented any political or religious party from interfering in how his ministry works.

He stressed that executing more than 600 “criminal terrorists” in the past four years was an achievement. He was reported saying that the justice ministry has not executed such a huge number since 2003. His ministry ignored calls by a number of Iraqi parliamentarians to cancel the executions based on calls by a number of international organisations.

It is worth mentioning that international human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch (HRW), have criticized these executions in the past years. In April 2013 HRW accused the Iraqi justice system of failure to meet international standards for fair trials.

“A striking increase in executions in Iraq points to the failure of Iraq’s justice system to meet international fair trial standards,” the organisation said