Iraq’s shadowy execution campaign: rights groups accuse government of secret mass hangings

Iraqi authorities are under intense scrutiny over alleged mass executions at Nasiriyah’s Al-Hout prison. Rights groups claim the government oversaw one of the largest waves of executions since the 2003 US-led invasion. Although the Iraqi Presidency and Justice Ministry have firmly denied these accusations, concerns about the lack of transparency surrounding the country’s execution process remain.

AFAD, the Iraqi Human Rights Observatory on October 12 published a report alleging that prison authorities conducted four waves of executions in September, the largest of which occurred on September 24, when 21 prisoners were hanged at dawn.

AFAD alleges these executions were carried out without allowing prisoners to write wills or contact their families. Prisoners were taken from their cells in their sleepwear and hanged in groups of six, with some executions accompanied by sectarian slurs from the executioners. Bodies were handed over to the families the next day, who were reportedly asked to pay fees for death certificates.

The report also claims that President Rashid approved the executions under pressure from Shia political factions in Baghdad, despite objections from the prisoners, who alleged they had been tortured into signing confessions.

“Most of the victims were from the governorates of Salah al-Din, Diyala, Anbar, Baghdad, and Nineveh. Some of those executed were convicted based on rulings issued during the era of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, known for his sectarian and election-driven policies,” AFAD stated.

AFAD provided video clips allegedly showing the bodies of the executed men after they were returned to their families. The organization also shared the death certificate of an executed man, Waed Salim Hussain, from Talafer, Nineveh province. The document, dated July 22, was signed by the health clinic at Nasiriyah Central Prison and listed the cause of death as “execution by hanging till death.” TNA could not independently verify the authenticity of the clips or documents, many of which were shared on social media platforms.

Iraqi officials were quick to reject claims of mass executions in Nasiriyah, where at least 50 prisoners were reportedly hanged in September. In a statement on October 17, the Presidency dismissed the allegations as “false rumors” aimed at creating chaos.

According to Iraq's 2005 constitution and penal code, executions are prohibited unless carried out under a formal presidential decree, which is the exclusive authority of the Iraqi president. The New Arab spoke to a senior official from Iraq’s justice ministry via mobile and later through messaging. While the official denied the allegations, he declined to provide a formal statement.

Speaking off the record, the official suggested that the lack of public announcements about executions is due to their connection to Iraq’s national security. When asked about the constitutional requirement for public executions and formal presidential decrees, the official reiterated that execution orders are only implemented after a final judicial decision and in accordance with formal presidential decrees.

The Presidency reaffirmed that all death penalties in the country are conducted according to legal procedures, with President Abdul Latif Rashid personally ratifying death sentences for convicted terrorists only after exhausting all legal avenues, including appeals and retrials.

However, despite these denials, human rights groups and political figures have raised alarms about the opaque nature of the process, suggesting the executions may have been politically motivated.

TNA sent a message to the formal website of Iraq’s president and talked to an advisor to Iraq’s president, but did not get a response until the time of publishing this report. TNA also spoke with an advisor to the Iraqi president, but the advisor, although denying the allegations, refused to be named and speak formally on the issue.  

Victims and Conditions in Nasiriyah Prison

Among the videos allegedly circulated by AFAD was one depicting the body of a 50-year-old man, Amjad Mohammed Rashid Salim, from Mosul.

Reports of psychological torture also emerged, with security personnel allegedly pulling detainees from their cells under the pretence of execution, only to return them later. Many prisoners are kept in holding cells without food or necessities, compounding their suffering.

Prominent political figures, including Sunni politician Sheikh Thaer al-Bayati, have joined the call to halt the executions. Al-Bayati told TNA: “The committee formed to ratify these death sentences is entirely made up of Shia members, with not a single Sunni. In two days alone, 70 innocent people were executed, many based on false charges by secret informants.”

Jamal al-Dari, leader of the National Project in Iraq, condemned the executions, saying they reveal the government’s failure to address underlying sectarian divisions. “Executing such a large number of Iraqis based on confessions extracted under torture and secret informant claims only deepens societal rifts,” he said in a statement.

These political leaders are calling for a delay in further executions until the long-awaited General Amnesty Law is fully enacted. The law, passed in 2016 but still not implemented, could lead to retrials for many on death row.

Concerns Over judicial transparency

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have repeatedly criticized Iraq’s judicial system, citing the widespread use of torture, coerced confessions, and lack of due process in capital punishment cases. Razaw Salihi, a researcher with Amnesty International, voiced concerns over the lack of transparency in Nasiriyah prison.

“It is not possible for us to confirm or deny the accuracy of the report by AFAD, but they are in no way shocking. As Amnesty International, we have continuously received reports of inhumane conditions in Nasiriyah Central Prison. Guards routinely subject prisoners on death row to physical and psychological abuse. Some prisoners have faced reprisals in the form of beatings, solitary confinement, and denied medical treatment,” Salihi said.

“There is a complete lack of transparency around the process and number of executions taking place, which has become more and more opaque since the resumption of mass executions in December 2023. Families and lawyers often learn about executions only after they have occurred—in complete violation of the prisoners’ rights. We are continuously monitoring the situation regarding death row and executions in Iraq,” Salihi added.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) warned in January that 150 prisoners in Iraq’s Nasiriyah prison face imminent execution if President Abdul Latif Rashid approves their sentences. HRW reported 13 executions on December 25, 2023, and urged a halt to executions due to flawed trials. In response, the President's Office sent a letter on March 7, 2024, detailing measures to protect the rights of death row inmates, including a retrial request system, a committee to oversee the release of those who have served their sentences, and plans to reduce death penalty cases through a revised Iraqi Penal Code.

Despite these accusations, the Ministry of Justice in a recent statement dismissed AFAD’s allegations as politically motivated, accusing the organization of fabricating information to damage Iraq’s reputation. The ministry also threatened legal action against media outlets that publish what it calls “false reports.”

In response to a media request, AFAD Observatory provided video footage of the executed prisoners and voice recordings from the victims' family members. AFAD commented, "It is common for the Ministry of Justice to deny accusations that implicate it, the Iraqi government, or the Presidency. The Iraqi government has consistently denied similar reports from reputable international organizations, such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, particularly on issues related to the Sunni community.

These reports have addressed serious concerns, including arbitrary arrests, forced confessions, mistreatment of prisoners, enforced disappearances, and the plight of displaced persons and refugees."

AFAD also highlighted the ongoing delay in implementing the General Amnesty Law, passed by the Iraqi Parliament in 2016. "The continued disregard for the law’s requirements to reinvestigate and retry the innocent—who represent a significant portion of the detainees—confirms what our observatory and other human rights organizations have been saying. The delay suggests that the Coordination Framework, which represents the political core of the government, is using this issue as leverage in legislative processes they are pushing through Parliament."

The observatory reaffirmed the accuracy of its previous statement, emphasizing the unjust executions carried out under pressure from the Coordination Framework. "Unfortunately, these executions have not stopped, and we have evidence that another wave took place yesterday, Tuesday, October 15, as a preemptive move ahead of the anticipated approval of the amended General Amnesty Law," AFAD stated.